August 18, 2012

Another one rides the bus

I dunno why I chose that title --- I just love that old Al Yankovic tune!

200+ km, finished!  

Excellent ride today, two-in-a-row now, on a new-to-me route up in NE Kansas, around US-36 near St Joseph, MO.
Spencer K., Billy C., Terry B., Glen R., Dave M. and Karen W.

First off... a full pleasure to ride with such a group.  1,200km vets, a RAAM finisher, a KCBC racer, and members of the St. Joseph club - a very strong bunch.  The terrain around St. Jo on which they normally train makes for a very solid and well-rounded cyclist, and it shows.  I enjoyed pulls, took a few and felt the burn (a GOOD feeling, by the way), and managed to hang-in, generally - though I over-cooked it a few times here and there.  Good training!  

I'm pleased with the results I've seen from a recent off-bike strength-training regimen, as well -- this being the first 200k since that program began.
I'm not not sure - because I have not weighed myself - if I have lost any weight, but I have lost inches and have gained strength where I previously had very little.  Does this help the bike?  Mmmm...yes: probably more than I realize.  This is all part of the "train for something, even if I don't know what that something IS yet" plan ... more like a plan to create the best "me" I can be, nothing more.  I got tired of hearing myself talking about it, and finally got "a round to it".  Four weeks is a good start -- I still have a long way to go, but that's the point:  it takes time.  Once of these days, there will be a smooth transition from my cycling jersey to my cycling shorts, and I might actually look like a "cyclist" - whatever THAT means.  Photographic evidence from today seems to indicate I'm on the right path, though, so I'm happy.

More to come -- something resembling a blog post for today's ride!
Stay tuned!  

I'm kinda diggin' this group-ride thing, and choosing new routes - even if it means driving a little to get there.  A great day out today!  


2 comments:

Monkeywrangler said...

Have you been up Wellman Rd, or McLouth Rd (hwy 16)? The road out of Winchester (192)towards Easton has some killer hills on it...

kG said...

Not yet -- but I'll add those to my list of roads to check off... sounds inviting!