Workout done...Check. Taper...commencing.

It is that time again. I have completed all physical activity for the week, unless I happen to jump on a pull up bar in the morning. I begin a taper consisting of sitting on the couch and getting much sleep. The key is to hopefully put some sleepy time in the bank. I will make withdraws on Saturday night and Sunday during my attempt at the 600K randonee.

Workout
Clean and Press 24K x 5; + Pull up 16K x 5; + Handstand - x 6 rounds

Also misc. pullup drills including LSIT, normal, slow etc.

Fred Thompson on "the soldier"

I don't wish to use this blog to display political affiliation or any views on our country. Let me lay it down so you understand. Here is what I support: I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).

With that said, I have served the Commander in Chief even though I did not vote for that person, even though I did not agree with their views and morals. I have done it for my entire adult life without question. Why? I like how Senator Fred Thompson puts it:

Lethargy - Courage Corner

Lethargy: 1. Abnormal drowsiness, stupor. 2. A state of indifference.

This afternoon was one of those days I really didn't want to do anything. Normally, I get a cup of coffee and the caffeine does the trick. Voila, workout! Not the case today. I felt rather content watching the paint fall off the wall at workout time (1430). I decided I had to do something even if it was quick and simple. Consistency is the most important part of strength training or musical training. HMMM, any training. Getting off me bum, I headed with a kettlebell to the rusty pull up bars. Mission accomplished, short, intense workout.

Let's look at my version of courage corner. First there is a piece of grass, slowly dying and needing help. Too much kettlebells on this chunk of lawn. I typically work in this spot out of convenience. In other words, I don't have to lug kettlebells too far.
The other workout area is a set of rusty pull up bars. The bars are considerably wider than a standard pull up bar. I think it is good grip training. There is also a concrete object about 18" high that is perfect for plyometrics and a shed in the grass perfect for practicing handstands. GOOD TRAINING OCCURS. The bars are located in front of an Army office. I would think a couple Marines doing pt in this spot every day, consistently would be a little peer pressure. Well, it is my courage corner for a reason. I usually get strange looks from the base police and the Army "strong" warriors. I guess donuts, Twinkee etc are more the norm in those offices! Really, I do invite them to join on a daily basis. The result, I get leaner and stronger and they get bigger in all the wrong areas. They get...um...bigger...around. Perhaps sitting on your bum all day isn't the most healthy lifestyle, even with consistent morning group PT. Folks...it doesn't work.

Courage corner is the area in Russian gymnasiums where the rusty kettlebells are kept. Only the brave enter these areas. Those that do get results. Strong, lean, improved flexibility etc.

Let me give you a secret, taking care of yourself is hard.
You will sweat.
Your heart will beat hard.
You will have to push through pain.
You will be rewarded.
On the contrary, sitting on the couch will guarentee chronic pain, lethargy, high blood pressure, obiseity and other chronic health problems.

Semper Fi!

Workout:
BW pullup x 5 + Clean and Press 24K x5/5 + handstand - 6 rounds no rest

By the way, I don't feel lethargic any more. The workout cured my problem! You should get off the couch and do the same. You won't be sorry.

Some more spinning

Today I rode in preparation for next weekend's 600K. Felt pretty good. I didn't want to push in the wind too much. I did any way. Alos did some long intervals. I am paying for it. Have to see how it goes. Will have plenty of rest this week. Rest will include proper sleep. THU and FRI will be no activity. Well, perhaps a few sets of pull ups!

Ride - 3hrs.

Read this -- Head this -- (program minimum)

Follow this link to Rifs Blog:

http://rifsblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/if-there-is-no-will-there-is-no-way.html

Friday - Day off rest??

It is always gerat to have a day off. I was a little tired from yesterday's workout; then I went for a ride. I may have to say I am wasted. Thought about yesterday - perhaps I should have refueled the body after the workout. I didn't and I am paying for it now. Nothing special on the ride. I kept the gears low and spun for recovery. Well, two hours doesn't really equal a recovery does it? This was a planned ride. Need to recover.

Ride: - 2 hrs.

Thursday Thrashing

We prepared for the long weekend by doing a little workout, it was rather intense and fun. Great participation, we had 6 people come on for the fun. Lots of kettlebells laying on the lawn!

Workout: (20 min. many rounds as possible)
pullup x 5 + jerks x 5 + box jumps x 20 -
I managed 7 rounds. Don kicked it with 8, I was lapped! We had a few 6s and some less. I did the first set of jerks with 32s, that pretty much started me off on the wrong foot. The 24s were manageable for the most part. It was about 50/50, experienced lifters used the 24s and the more novice lifters used 16k. All did a great job.

USA and morality

I am watching the Nightly News and they just announced VP Cheney as a new grandfather for the 6th time. First thought, good for him. Here is the problem, the child's parents are Cheney's daughter Mary and her partner Heather. HMMMM.

I support our country 100% and have given my entire adult life in service to the country. Why? First to preserve democracy and keep the country free from tyranny and evil. Second, so people like the Cheney's may exercise poor moral decisions and not worry about persecution.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Workout:
Pullup: pullup on the minute 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 failure
Swing 32K: 1arm 4x10/10 1x20

Felt this weeks pullups right from the first rep today. In retrospect, today's workout will be a break from one form of intensity. Of course this workout presents a different intensity. GTG.

Tuesday's Tumoltuous Tantilizing Tidbit

I can't claim the titles for this week's blogs. One of my HS history teachers used these daily to give us a little useless trivia. Burt Elliot is still teaching and is also a SD State Legislator. Thanks for the titles Mr. Elliot! So here is what Burt used as his daily titles: Monday Morning (Midday) Morality Message, Tuesday - see today's title, Wednesday's Wassailing W???, Thursday- it will come to me, Friday's Frolicking Facts.

Workout:
Pullups 24K: 5x3 + handstands/Bw 3x5, 1 set in L
Clean and Press 32K: 5x3

Ride AM: 15 miles. Fast pace. I hung with the Contes riders for a few miles, they were too fast for me today. I am slightly de-conditioned. I could easy do a PR for this route. This AM was only about 2 min from a PR. It is pretty easy to make up 2 min.
Ride PM: 15 mi. felt better this afternoon. Knee is bothering me but no pain.

Need to do more intensity on the bike. Repeats, intervals, Sprints, Hills....Fun is on the way.

Manic Monday's Mostly Morbid Mayham

Feel bloated from too much food and lack of physical training. I will fix it!

Workout
Pullup + handstand 10 x 5
Snatch 24K- 5/5,6/6,7/7,8/8,9/9 = 70

Good stuff. Have been slacking on the snatches. I promised my workout buddy we would hit these hard. If our hands hold up, we may do 2xweek. Yippee. Speaking of buddies, everyone needs a buddy. They keep you safe.

Mr. Murphy - vs - God's will

For the past few days, I've been in the pre-event routine. This mainly involves, rest and different eating habits. I arrived in Raleigh on Friday evening and began going through a bicycle shake down, laying out my riding gear and preparing my chow for the ride. Oh and looking at weather.com often to be certain of weather patterns. I have to be prepared. The motto is to do enough preparation so that the event is just another rehearsal. Difficulty is needless when there is a plan to overcome all obstacles. In endurance events where your life could be at risk this is especially the case. Going through a routine/check list calms the nerves and allows for better rest.

I did this preparation routine perfectly. This morning prior to departing for the event went without incident as well. For some reason I had an uneasy feeling about the upcoming 400k brevet. It could be the time off the bike resting a nagging knee. The cure for overuse injuries is rest. I hate rest sometimes. The nerves could also be because 250 miles is a long, long way. They could also be because the ride ventures briefly into the mountains for some 15% climbs. It is difficult to train for this terrain at the beach. The bridges are not steep enough!

So I drove to the starting point. As I approached the butterflies increased. I pulled into the parking lot expecting to see riders preparing bikes and registering. The time 0615 - right on schedule for a 0700 start time.

Here is the problem. When I pulled into the parking lot, the only thing I saw was parked cars with no people or bicycles. My stomach did back flips. I stopped the car, placed it in park and sunk into my seat. I can't (*$!#&*$@! believe it! The start time was 0600. I failed to see it on the web site. I looked at it 4 times on Friday night and 4 times on Thursday etc. I did not see the 0600 start time. I was blind to this important fact. All of the preparation for not.

I could have gone for a ride anyway. Perhaps done the 200K for training or something. I decided to return home and get cleaned up. Why?

There are only two possible reasons I didn't see the 0600 start time.

1. Murphy's Law
2. God's Will

Murphy's Law:
I just don't believe Murphy explains this morning's incident very well. Murphy can be blamed for many things. Here is an example: I was on a ride in the Mojave Desert. It was a Saturday morning and I was returning to 29Palms. I was in the vicinity of Wonder Valley. I received a puncture. No big deal, within a few minutes, I had the tube changed and began putting air into the tire. Problem, the air was not staying in the spare tube. Turns out the spare also had a few punctures in it. Both of the tubes were too far gone to patch. I would have to walk the 10 miles back to town. Not good! You see, this is Murphy in action. There is a good ending to this story. After about a few miles, my neighbor just happened to be returning from a gambling trip to Laughlin, NV. He saw it was me and gave me a ride home. It ended up being my lucky day!

God's Will:
I don't believe I was supposed to ride today's event. It just wasn't God's plan. The knee pain should have been enough deterrent. On Wednesday and Thursday, I said many times, the best course of action was some rest. Rest and build the mileage back up slowly for some longer events later in the summer. I knew this with all of my heart and conviction. The alternative could mean a real injury that may sideline me for months.

There was this other voice telling me that my knee couldn't stop me. You have rested enough. I had to ride. My plan was to ride as far as I could. If I failed, so be it. With some courage and some vitamin 'M', I would be able to prevail.

This is a great thing that God does for us all. He will only let us get into predicaments that we can handle. We may not realize we can handle it at the time but we persevere. Think about David slaying the Giant. David was not a soldier, he was not a physically strong guy. He was just an average boy. Oh, he was faithful to God too! The Giant was physically opposing and stood there laughing at David. Come on now, who are you boy? Go home before you get hurt. Famous last words huh? There is no way David slays the Giant without God's help. Without David, an entire army is destroyed; not to mention all of the innocent women and children.

Evidently, God did not want to guide me through 20 hours of pain and misery. He has other plans. God said NO(knee pain, need rest). I said YES. He said NO again (more knee pain). I said I'm going for it(I will suck it up). He said oh yea? Watch this dude. Just like many conversations we have all had with our parents at one time or another. Well, here I sit depressed, irritated and ready to ride. This is the only explanation for missing a start time which has been on the website for months.

The good news? I got some more rest for my knee. I will attempt to ride on Monday morning. Based on this ride, I will decide how to proceed with training and future events.

Rest Days

Today and tomorrow are rest days in preparation for Saturdays 400K adventure. In addition, I began increasing complex carb intake in an attempt to build up glycogen stores. I still have some pain in the knee but I will go anyway and see how far I can go.

I completed a weight workout at the gym this morning because I was there supervising troops. The "light" workout was kicking my butt. I couldn't figure out why. It was designed to get the blood flowing a little. Then during the one arm barbell presses, I remembered I gave blood yesterday. They say you should wait 24 hrs before training. OOPS.

Well, I stopped the workout at that point and went to breakfast at the wonderful galley. The galley is a cafeteria on the base. Note the Naval terminology. This particular galley is supposed to be good. After all, it recently won a prestigious award. You have got to be kidding me! Let me tell you something about this place. The food is disgusting. The help is complacent and lackadaisical. I wouldn't hire any of them for any task.

With that said, the cost is only $2.00, my belly was full and I can assure you that in my mere 17 years as a Marine, I have certainly eaten much worse chow. You should also know that this is Marine fashion to vent even when things are adequate. Some may even argue it shows some motivation. OOHRAH!

Workout:

Renegade Manmaker: Renegade row #55 + ankle to bar
1arm BB Press: 45x5, 55x3

A little progress

Go ahead look back in the few posts in this blog, you will not see very many days with pressing the 32K kettlebell. Today, I set a new PR for reps. It is not a significant number to most strong lifters but, it is my PR. Exciting!

A PR or increase in strength is the reason we do this. Getting stronger physically and mentally doesn't happen by sitting on the couch watching Criminal Minds or World's Strongest Man competition. Oh, speaking of the WSM competition, an American finally won! Getting stronger requires consistent work and discipline. We train when we feel like it and when we don't want.

Workout:

Pullup: 24K 2x4,3x3 +handstand
LSit PU: 2x5
Clean and Press 32K 5x4 **pr**
Swing 24K: 1x20

Tuesday Workout - blah blah blog

Nothing out of the ordinary today. I am nursing some knee pain. Ice ice and more ice. Knee wasn't bothering me so I rode this am. Then the pain began with a few miles to go. I iced, did my afternoon workout. I skipped swings today. SHHHHH, don't tell anyone. I still say it is the best exercise in the repertoire. Knee didn't bother me during the workout so, I peddled home in the wind. Not the brightest decision but, you only live once. If not, I would have wondered all day if I was selling myself short. There was pain. I have ice on right now. Oh, don't get it confused with ice cream. Don't have any in the house. I ate it ALL!

Workouts
am: ride 20

Pm:
pullup 24K 5x4 + handstand; BW 1x10 (bw set was way easy)
hanging leg raises, ankles to bar 5x5
L-sit Pullup 2x4 (just to see if I could, tough and different)

Ride: 15

Complacency: kicking it up to the next notch

Actually today's festivities brought me a new twist. I did my first 2 swing sets with the 32K and one arm. Using this weight is not unusual but doing it with one arm instead of 2 is new. I have to say it this was a difficult workout. Very challenging. Switching to swings with one arm is a different concept. It requires more hip power production to get the kettlebell going. It also requires the core to work overtime to keep the shoulders aligned with the hips.

After some thought, I've decided to continue to work the 1 arm swing with his weight. I believe this exercise done this way will bring my coordination, endurance and strength to a new level.
Strength and confidence in this lift will enhance requisite skills needed for snatches at this weight. It is hard to believe I didn't begin doing this earlier in the year. Of course, I may not have been ready at the time. So here I am; once again starting a new challenge. Along with this comes pain...well character building.

I said last week I would discuss perseverance. Here it is, I will need perseverance to complete all impending workouts resulting from today's experiment. Overcoming the want to stop after 6 repetitions and later 15 repetitions etc., is exactly what the doctor orders. Today after the first set, I had that not so fresh feeling in the lungs and belly. Good thing I didn't cheat on my diet today; the consequences could have been catastrophic and messy.

It is amazing how many people defeat themselves before they even attempt challenge. Take a minute and think of how many people you know that say, "some day I'm going to...(fill in the blank)." Now use your brain housing group one more time. How many of those people did what they set out to do? How many of them even got off the couch?

I have never been one to say I would do something and not attempt or complete. I can reflect on some challenging milestones. Here are some things I have attempted and completed. I can assure you that none of them were a walk in the park. In fact it took some character to even begin to attempt little lone complete. Earn title U. S. Marine. Ride 100 miles then 200 miles. Complete bachelors degree. Change lifestyle from destructive to healthy (working on indestructible). Earn RKC certification. I can continue providing more examples from my own life but, I think you get the point.

Anyone can do any of these things, I am not special. In fact I have seen hundreds of people achieve all of these things with less physical and mental ability. What they all have is what is called "stick-to-it-tive-ness." Are you ready to step up to the plate? Get off the couch and let's go!

Workout:
Pullup - 24K 6x4 (lost count of sets, 6th set was very difficult) + Handstand
On the second and third sets, I did 3 handstand push ups.
Clean & Press - 5x5
Swing 32K 1 arm:2x10/10; 2 arm: 3x20

Evil Wheel 2x1o (on knees)

Quick Post - pullup 2

Pull ups again today. Nice quick. Easy.

Why pull ups?
1. Because they are that important to the USMC PFT. They are worth 5 points each for a maximum of 100 points or 20 reps. I am on the cusp of achieving the 20 reps. Of course I haven't maxed out on repetitions since the last PFT in November.

2. They are also very important to building upper body strength. They work grip, forearms, biceps, shoulders, back, abs and even legs. Provided you have weight strapped between your legs which causes you to use more tension than body weight pull ups. Legs are always tired after intense pull up session.

3. They aren't easy. The last time you were in the gym, how many people did you see doing a pull up? A hand stand? Exactly, you might find someone every once in a while. Others are busy attempting to build strength by doing lat pull downs. The problem with this is that you are actually pulling the bar around the body. Too easy. Pull ups require the body to go around the bar. The difference between these exercises is huge and so are the difference in results.

How?
Just do them. Do 50% to 80% of your maximum repetitions every time you get on the bar. You can spread them through the day about 5 or 6 times (grease the groove) or just do them all in one session. When you do them in one session, do 5 sets of 5 reps. When you are able to complete this easily, add 10 lbs. When this becomes easy to do 5x5, add another 10 lbs. Keep repeating. Do them every day!

I probably said this yesterday but I am going to say it again. The handstands between sets is fantastic. I feel more forearm endurance because they are not tight. Also I figure they aren't that different than timed kettlebell overhead holds thus the shoulder girdle gets some endurance work.

Workout:

Joint mobility
Pull ups 24K:6x4 + hanstand - Just as easy as 3 reps. I will push for 5 on Tue or Wed.

Pull ups

Just because I said I would do a workout in yesterdays post doesn't mean I have to do it. Ok, perhaps it is my own way of having peer pressure. Good thing the guys I train with don't always read this regularly. If they do, one of two things will happen. First, they will avoid me and hide from their fear. Second, they will seek me and ensure I am committed....to the workout. Actually, the latter always happens. The more challenging the workout appears to be, the greater the number of comrades come out of the woodwork. Go figure. So, every bright idea I share often becomes an awful reality really quick. On a positive note, we all get stronger, improve our stamina, improve T production, removing any estorgen and feel invigorated each time! Tim the Tool Man Taylor would grunt here.
Today I did exactly what I said I would do with the pullups. It worked exactly like I planned. Pullups with the added weight seemed to be no problem. I will increase the reps to 4 tomorrow. We will see how this works out. The handstands between each set provided a fantastic stretch of the forearms. I like it a lot.

Workout:
pull up: 24K: 5x3 + handstand
Clean and press 24Kx2: 5x5 - too easy; Need to increase weight.
Swing: 40K: 5x15 - Thanks Don for bringing the Bulldog!

More pain and fun. Back off the couch.

Today, I got off the couch and began training again. I wish I could say it was fun. In the beginning it wasn't. The longer the day went on, I became less sore and the workouts became more fun. The ride this morning was not a pleasant experience. My knee hurt, my legs hurt and me bum is still a little sore from Saturday's randonee. I peddled and peddled and finally arrived at work. I guess it took about as long as the the first ride after the 200K. Par for the course.
This afternoon brought the kettlebells and another ride. The strength training workout went well . The ride home was another story. Still sore bum and knee. The good thing is my legs were loosened up and I was able to throw in some sprints. On Saturday or perhaps Sunday I made the determination that I need to get faster on the bike. So, I will have to improve leg strength. The other way I could really improve power is to loose weight 10lbs would do the trick. I will do this slowly as I am in the middle of a season. In fact, I am eating some ice cream right now! It is delicious. What? I earned it today.
Prediction: I will be considerably stronger and lighter for next year's randonee season. Thus my power output will improve dramatically. Heck, w/o strength training and weight loss only, I would see amazing results. In the mean time, I have some other goals that I need to finish achieving this year.
Pullups - I am inspired by Pavel's latest newsletter. I have been doing 16K pullups 7 sets x 5 reps. It is time to increase the weight. Tomorrow I will attempt the 24K I know I have 3 reps for 5 sets. The other part of the pullup I am going to try is to do a hand stand between each set to stretch out the forearms. It is easy to strain the forarms (tennis elbow) when pulling heavy weight or doing high volume. Stay tuned and you will find out how this goes.

Workout(s)
Ride 15mi.
The strength workout is rather low volume and intensity today. Probably smart.
BW squats to feel the stretch. I also did these through the day.
Press - 24K 5x5
Pullup 2x10 (tough following the presses)
Swing 24K 15, 19, 9, 13, 20 (just wanted some randomness)
Ride 15mi. (4 sprints, 2 blocks each)

Rest again

I am still on a rest day. I probably could have done workouts but why cross the thin line of fitness and over-training. I did more stretching and joint mobility following yesterdays theme. I should point out that this isn't the stretching you learned in PE class. This is useful stretching and strengthening. Using your strength to stretch your muscles. In other words, flexing the muscles you are stretching will allow your muscles to "lengthen." Try it sometime. Better yet, don't try this at home. Contact me and we can arrange a class that will change your life. (for the better).

A year ago, I had very poor flexibility and have found a way to improve. I move better, am injured less and sleep better. Can you handle the best part? I can put on my socks. I still have a long way to go in this area. A little here and a little there. It is a weakness that leads to more strength and more comfort.

Speaking of weakness - Paul wrote to the Corinthians about weakness, 2Cor 12:9,10 says:
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weakness so Christ's power may reside in me. So because of Christ, I am pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in catastrophes, in persecutions and in pressures for when I am weak, than I am strong.

Thought you might like to think about this verse for a while.

Lounging on the Couch

Sometimes it is good to just lounge around. Lounging is exactly the plan for today. I felt more tired when I got up this morning than when I went to sleep last night. It is the DOMS kicking in. I thought I would be ok with the muscle soreness until the first flight of stairs I had to climb at work. Just a little pain and much fatigue.

In conjunction with rest, I have done joint mobility (JM) throughout the day along with some stretching spread through out. Specifically, the JM focused on the ankles, knees and hips. Ankle rotations through the full range of motion. Followed by hip rotations and pelvic thrusts. For kicks and giggles, I tossed in neck and shoulder mobility drills as well.

Stretching involved the lower body. I have a little muscle pain and don't want to get tight as tight muscles lead to lower back problems. I focused on the calfs, hip flexors and opening up the pelvis. This is done with body weight squats which focus on stretching or elongating the spine. Stretching combined with JM has recharged me. Oh yea, more food! I can't stop eating today. I will do more of the same tomorrow.

One concern, pain or tightness at the front of L knee. I will have to keep an eye on this.

300K Brevet (and then some)

Yesterday was my attempt at the 300k brevet. Mission accomplished. Here are the facts: Morrisville to Siler City, Seagrove and return. 12,000 feet of climbing. My distance - 208.6 miles or 335K - oops. Time: 15:47 total. Not too terrible considering the extra miles.

The song goes, "rain, rain go away, come again some other day."

As usual, the day was marked with several key moments. Rain brought along the first memorable moment. At the 65 or 70 mile point, it began to rain on and off again. Not too terrible, just enough to make descents dangerous. This theme continued for the next 130 miles.

Red Flag on the Track

At a stop sign around 100 miles, I caught up to a couple of guys I was riding with on and off. Truth be told, I was dropped on a hill about 10 miles prior. We will visit this later. Doug was off his bike stretching and checking his steed for any damage. They said he crashed. Doug thinks he touched wheels and spilled but doesn't remember. He claimed he was feeling ok and he made it to the stop in Siler City. Seems his ego was bruised a little, common in Randonneuring. They were going on to the next stop on the other side of the Uwharrie mountains as they were going for the 400K brevet.

Eaten by a Bear...Er...DOG!

During the point where I was riding alone, I came across 2 large Alpha dogs. Normally, I would just pick up some speed and fly by them. Unfortunately, they saw me first and headed down the middle of the road. I chose to stop and hopefully calm them down. It nearly worked.

I don't know if you have ever looked into the eyes and mouth of an angry animal that stands about waist high. The eyes were dark not unlike that of a death row inmate. They were saying, "Boy, y'all just done screwed up. Now we shall eat you." Remember Little Red Riding Hood? "...what big teeth you have.." These two dogs were spitting saliva everywhere. Each bark brought another gush of the thick white substance.

Normally, I am not afraid of dogs. They just want to play. Yesterday, I changed my mind. The black chow chow actually nipped at me twice. He received a thrust from my gloved fist and backed off for a couple seconds. This probably didn't help matters at all. The owners finally came out of their house and yelled at the dogs. OOH, I'm glad you could put down the moonshine for a few seconds to check on your pets. They stood behind the screen door. Here's an idea, get onto the public road and get your dogs!

I put my bike between the dogs and myself and began walking down the road. I figured they would leave me alone when I wasn't near their territory. Remember the chow? He had the instinct of a wolf. While the lab was on my right on the other side of the bicycle, the chow circled behind me to the left flank. I was surrounded. I calmly kept walking and put my hand out so he could see I wasn't a threat. He didn't bite my hand off. Eventually, I rode away.

PETS

I was chased by at least 15 dogs along the ride. The funniest was a Weiner dog running down the side of the road. Why in the world bother having a pet if you don't want the responsibility of taking care of it. Perhaps on the next ride I will carry a weapon, I think an H&K 9mm will do the trick. Better yet, if the armory could let me check out an MP5 I could get some business done!

I guess there is a reason these citizens live in the middle of no where. Near small one horse towns like Whynot, NC. You have got to be kidding me. There should be legislation passed to change the name of every town with a stupid name. Yes, this will include towns like Joe, MT. I know we are the land of the free...and I am sworn to protect the Constitution but I am going to draw the line! People, just build a fence, a kennel or invest in a leash. These are your pets, not wild animals.

Speaking of dogs, this is when I began riding with Lisa URL: http://www.bookwoman.com/ She has some interesting stories about the hounds on her blog. I actually saw her throw her only Fig Newtons at one of the beasts. We rode the rest of the ride pacing and trying to keep each other motivated. Without her company, finishing would have been difficult.

Perseverance

The 'p' word again. This is the most important word in distance cycling. You are right, it is a very important concept in life. Some people have it and others couldn't tell you the meaning. They have never really challenged themselves beyond their capabilities. They sit On the Couch watching the Kentucky Derby on Cinco de Mayo sipping on margaritas. Perseverance is not finishing the bottle of tequila.

Perseverance is continuing on your journey even when you want to quit. Even when your body is shutting down and your mind and spirit are broken. Last night after we missed a turn and riding several unnecessary miles, I was ready to toss in the towel. I wasn't going to quit riding until I finished the ride. No way I will willingly quit a challenge. I did think that I wouldn't continue the series. I decided that riding at night in the rain is dreadful. Those thoughts are out of my system. Ready for the 400 in 2 weeks time.

In endurance events there are several things that can ruin your day and even your life. Success is dependent on your mental state. You must overcome fear and disappointment. Better yet, beat them before you set out on your excursion. Proper nutrition will change the hormonal balance in your mind in a hurry. The human body has several systems in place that enable survival. It can shut down certain systems and divert the energy to other parts of the body. Keeping proper blood sugar and insulin levels are the only way to ensure success.

Overall, I did a good job with nutrition. I will take more chow with me next time. I got dropped on a hill because my sugar levels were unbalanced and I had too much junk in my belly. I screwed up nutrition 3 times in the ride. This caused massively low blood sugar and severe insulin spikes. One time scared the snot out of me. We left the turn around and things were good. After 15 minutes, I began to sweat profusely and lost energy. I have been here before. I began intaking gel, fig newtons (nearly ate the rapper too) and drink. I consumed things that I knew would fix the problem and keep my level at the proper levels. Within 15 min, I was back on track, stronger than ever.

I am not sure of the cause I have narrowed it down to a few ideas. It could be the adverse affect of coffee at the rest stops. It is possible but it is so good. I had a cheese burger at the turn around. It possibly had too much simple carbs in the white bread. I will research these issues. The feeling of desperation is horrible. It was good but I will pass on the burgers and stick to my perpetuem, fig newtons, bananas and gels. I had good luck with V8 Juice at each stop. Just the right thing to prevent cramping.

Lessons:
Dogs - beware, I be bringin' my gat' on my next cruise down the shaw yo! Cuz I be a gangsta'. (Actually, I will probably remember where the beasts were located and ride faster.)

Food - keep the fuel stoked

water - did great on this ride. Had plenty and drank plenty.

Company - keep company on the ride. There is a time to ride alone but better to have company especially at night.

Night Riding - After I got over my negative spell, night riding was enjoyable. Average speed is a little lower at night. The good thing is you can't see where hills end. Just keep spinning. Seems to be more relaxing.

STAY TUNED...This week will discuss the ability to overcome fear and even defeat.

Gen 15:1 ...the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward. KJV

HOT

This is a little different. Once again, I didn't feel like working out. I should add it was HOT. The temp in the 90s. At some point around the half way point of the workout, I realized we aren't acclimated to HOT weather yet. We kept going because the best way to acclimate is to get in the heat and keep working. I feel like I. have been getting weaker as the week progresses. Could be a number of things. No worries.

I absolutely did not want an intense workout today as the upcoming weekend 300K is around the corner. This always backfires. The exercises are always intense. Something deep inside perhaps dehydration and fatigue wouldn't let me go as hard as normal. I am feeling this afternoon's workout tonight. The recipe for the next few days are stretching, joint mobility and of course some light swings.

Pullup 16k: 2x5, 3x3+bw3
Farmers walk 50, walking seesaw/10swing
Farmers walk 50, walkins seesaw, bear crawl, swing

Tuesday - More compound movements

Ok, I had so much fun on Monday experimenting with the compound lifts that I decided to do some more today. It doesn't take long with these movements to become smoked....Quickly!

Workout:
AM: ride 15
PM workout:
pullup - 16k: 5x5
Burpee+pushup+renegade row+clean+press 2x24k: 5x5
Swing: 40K 5x10
Ride: 15k