It is now just over one month before I am due to leave. I am on my stationary bike for just over two hours a day and doing ten minute, ninety rpm spins four times during that period. Despite this being January in Ontario the weather has eased off enough for me to get in four outdoor rides over hilly and chilly roads. I feel stronger every day and now just need that last visit and go-ahead from my cardiologist to kick start this adventure.
Winter Training Sucks
When you live in Ontario above Highway 7 and are getting in shape for a ride beginning in early March, the training sucks. I don’t know of a single person that loves extended spin sessions or two to three hours at a time on a stationary bike. Having high quality TV to watch only makes the experience endurable, not enjoyable. Still, I have been lucky enough to be able to get outdoors and on the road four times during the month of January which is definitely an unexpected bonus for where I live during January. Well worth the nearly frozen toes and fingers that are the price you pay. I know that my hard core friends are willing to strap themselves onto their fat bikes during almost any weather conditions but I fear a skid-out or other misfortune that could injure me in a way that could scuttle the trip I am training for. For now I’ll have to saddle up indoors, dream of the adventure ahead and enjoy season 3 of The Newsroom.
All Systems Go: T-Minus Two Weeks & Counting
My doctor has given his qualified O.K. so it appears I am good to go. (“Try to dial it back a notch and pay attention to your body.”) Good advice for anyone my age. I managed to take advantage of a mild(ish) day to get in a 5 hour road ride. I used my mountain bike with knobby tires and dealt with some strong wind gusts to go along with temperatures that started out below freezing but thankfully got a bit warmer by the end. If I can do five hours in those conditions, I should be ready for anything the southern US has in store. Of course mother nature has the final word and she needs to know that I am rooting for her to stay calm and in a good mood. Now on to my final week of heavy training followed up by a more relaxing week before our San Diego launch.