noattentionspan

Grocery shopping. I need to do this. Turns out that without good food in the fridge, it’s hard to eat it.

And excuse, sure, but I noticed it this morning when I went to grab some eggs to make a breakfast before the long ride and lo and behold… nadda.

The ride today was pretty fun, but at times very challenging; mentally and physically.

Out from Control 1 (start) – Control 2 I managed to get lost, 4km from the end. I simply HAD to stop and go pee and figured I could do my own directions or follow another group. Turned out I couldn’t follow my own directions and there was no other group to follow since I screwed up about 30 seconds after getting back on the bike. Instead of going around and then up over Sumas Mountain, I went up and over the West side and down into Historic Abbotsford. Then I had to go through town, past Watcom and finally into Control 2. 6km longer than anyone else. Except Ray who managed to screw it up even more it seems. OOPS.

From Control 2 – 3 I hung out with a group for a long while. We even had a pace group going for a while and when it was my turn I took the lead and did my best to maintain the speed. When I was really tired I pulled up to let folks by and one guy thanked me for my work and moved ahead. There was only 3 of us left. We had managed to leave everyone else in the dust somehow. It wasn’t from my stellar speed which was only averaging about 31 or 32 in that section. The two guys pulled ahead of me and I chased them for about 10km before finally catching up again and hanging on until the Control. All and all my best leg, but I lost my group. OOPS.

No worries though, from Control 3 which was at Twin Rinks in Vedder out to Control 4 back in Abbotsford my group, or at least Quinton, managed to drop me like a bad habit. We went up one little hill and he pulled enough ahead of me that I barely saw him again. This was a tough section that was relatively flat but straight into the headwinds of the Sumas Flats. It was VERY tough to maintain speed here and I fell off quite a bit without anyone around me to challenge myself against (or draft).

Ice cream at Control 4 and we made ready for the last long push which is probably the most difficult of the course. Against the wind for 20km and through a series of rolling hills into Aldergrove. Then 15km over more rollers through Aldergrove and over to Fort Langley before dropping (mostly) back to the start.

The 143km course only managed to take me 149.5 according to the Garmin and 150.3 according to my bike computer.

In theory I was supposed to do a brick run after the ride, but I can feel a strain in my rear right leg under the glute, and a different pain in the knee cap of the right. So, I took it easy and ate stuff instead

Nutrition and Exercise

0630
- Quaker Dip Bar

0800 – 1430 (pre/during/post Canada Day Populaire)
- 150km ride from Fort Langley, through Abbotsford, to Chilliwack, through Abbotsford, through Aldergrove and back to Fort Langley.
- 2 Quaker Dip Bars
- 1.5 bottles of PowerAde
- 2/3 bag of Shot Blocks
- 1/2 bag of Sharkies
- 5 or 6 small slices of watermelon
- slice of cantaloupe
- 7 or 8 chocolate chip cookies

1530
- Black jack chicken strips (grilled chicken strips in Cajun seasoning)
- Cajun chicken penne alfredo

2000
- 1/2 bottle of PowerAde

2330
- Multigrain tortilla chips and salsa