WHY I CYCLE ON GREAT NORTHERN

 I just received notice from Strava that I lost my Local Legend on one of the segments at Great Northern.  I lose this segment on a regular basis, as me and someone else have the same regimen.  Truthfully, I care not a whit about being a Local Legend.  So, the short answer as to why I'm riding up and down this stretch is quite simple: I'M OLD!!    

Of course, there is more to the story.  But the truth is, the older you get the less you like change.  Let's start with Great Northern itself, for those not familiar with it.  This is a 1.3 mile straight, flatish street with a dual bike lane and no cross streets/stop signs.  During the day, when I ride, there isn't much traffic and what traffic there is is accustomed to cyclists, runners, and dog-walkers.  I can do my various drills in relative solitude, staying mostly in my lane and dodging walkers.  It runs north-south and is next to a railroad track (hence the name) and is maybe twenty or so feet below the tracks.  As a result, between the houses and the track, the street is somewhat protected from the wind.  My other practice spot is Old Settlers Park in Round Rock, where I can do my "jumps" practice and acceleration drills.  I'm not spending a lot of time at Old Settlers currently because of the wind.  Unlike Great Northern, Old Settlers is on a hill and always has more wind than in Austin.  Hopefully I'll spend more time there in April.

The length of Great Northern lends itself to my cadence drills and acceleration drills.  One cadence drill calls for three sets of five minutes each at 90, 100, 110 rpm.  It takes not quite five minutes to go end-to-end so whatever it takes is what I do.  This drill doesn't require a specific watts output.  Another drill is a cadence ladder: 3 sets of 10 reps 30 seconds each at 90,100,110 and 30 seconds rest.  I might have to fudge a bit when I turn around at each end.  I also do acceleration drills.  I accelerate for a set time, like 15 or 30 seconds at a set wattage.  There is one other drill I do here that I can't do at Old Settlers.  It is a "white line" drill.  I do this when warming up or cooling down or anytime I'm not doing another drill.  It consists of seeing how long I can ride on the white line separating the bike lane from the driving lane.  This drill helps with balance and smoothing your cadence.  Of course, I still have to dodge walkers and I move over for cars.

Another reason I go back and forth on Great Northern is that I hate riding on Shoal Creek.  Most of the "regulars" I see do the loop.  I did too, until the city installed a "protected" bike lane.  Back to my original reason: this street fits my needs quite well and I see no reason to search out some other place.  But even as I type the last sentence, I'm reminded that I announced last Sunday that I need to change my 50 mile Sunday route.  Chandler Road out to Taylor has become too busy.  I love the smooth asphalt, the few inclines, no stopping.  But the traffic is fast and too many drivers are getting too close.  This was the road I'd use for my 20-minute FTP test.  So yes, I can still change.  

DESTINY!

Somethings are meant to be.  And some are not.  Today was one of those days where my desire was continually thwarted.   The original plan had me riding in the kitchen; so planned because of the weather forecast of cold north wind and scattered showers.  First, I slept in.  For those who are not regular readers, my usual waking hour is between 3:30 and 4:00.  This morning I dragged my body out of bed at 5:00.  My usual routine when not going to the gym takes between 60 and 90 minutes and includes coffee and a few word games to exercise my mind.  

Time slipped away and before I knew it, a crew arrived to take out our dead and unwanted bushes.  This landscape has been in the ground for almost 40 years and I wanted no part in having to get them out.  They were still hard at it when I left to get my hair cut.  The appointment was at 11:00 and I was home by noon.  Then came lunch.  I wasn't feeling all that energetic so delayed setting up the bike in the kitchen.  Instead, I reclined in my recliner and relaxed.  That morphed into a nap.  I came to refreshed but really not feeling like riding the trainer.  We have the display for the outside thermometer set up in the computer room and upon passing by on my way down the hall I noticed the temperature was 50 degrees.  Hmmm!

I went outside and found that the sharp north wind had abated and the sun looked like it wanted to come out.  Eureka!  I could get in an hour at Old Settlers Park.  Immediately I went inside and changed into bike gear, filled a water bottle and jumped in the car.  The bike and gear live in the car so I didn't have to load anything.  Off I went.

The new plan was to do my "oval" workout.  This is a steady one hour in a parking lot doing an oval about 333 meters per lap, similar to the size of the Alkek Velodrome.  I parked and prepared to unhook the bike from the rack.  Then I noticed I'd forgotten the computer.  We all know that if it isn't on Strava it never happened.  After a momentary pause and expletive, I realized I had my phone and could run Strava on that.  I wouldn't have cadence or power but for this ride I knew what gear to use and really didn't need the stats.  So I went to the front seat, got my phone and returned to grab the bike.

My rack is inside the car and the front fork is mounted.  When I grabbed the front wheel preparatory to releasing the bike, I uttered my second expletive, maybe a third.  The tire was flat!  I took this as a sign that maybe today wasn't meant to be, returned to the front seat and drove home.

Back home I used my "ride time" changing out the tube.  Several years ago (Sept 25, 2010) I posted detailed instructions on how to properly change a tube .  First you check the old tube to detect the location of the leak and if found, check the similar location on the tire to be sure the cause still isn't in it.  The stupid tube didn't have a leak.  I plunged it under water and got zero bubbles.  I triple-checked the tire inside and out.  All was well.  I still installed a new tube.  As of this writing, five hours later, the tube still hasn't lost any air.  We shall see what it looks like in the morning.  And speaking of morning, it looks like I will have two days of decent weather to ride outside.

BLOOD PRESSURE

 It comes as no surprise that my blood pressure is lower than most folks my age.  Periodically, news feeds post some article touting the benefits of exercise, and lower blood pressure is one of those benefits.  Since I've been exercising all my adult life, I fully expect my BP to be low.  That being said, a lot of it is due to genetics.  For instance, my wife has a much lower BP than I do and has had all her life, exercising or not.

Like most of you, after I finish a long or arduous ride I'll get cleaned up, eat something, then rest, usually in my recliner.  But after sitting awhile, when I get up I need to wait a few seconds to let my BP adjust.  Otherwise I get shaky (not dizzy).  In the past if I ignored this warning, I've had my knees buckle.  This has been going on for years and I'm used to it.

Lots of jokes have been made about old guys having nothing to talk about except their health, or lack thereof.  I must admit, health takes up much of my thoughts as I get older.  To that end, early in the pandemic, we purchased a dosimeter.  This was to check our blood oxygen level to make sure Covid didn't sneak up on us.  After copious use, I found that my normal level was borderline low, both before and after riding.  Occasionally it would register a 98 but mostly 94-96 (my wife is a consistent 98).  I'm wondering if that is part of the reason I don't do better when racing.  More on that in a later post.  Recently we acquired a high-end BP monitor.  I get my BP checked a lot.  The dentist, the ophthalmologist, the physical therapist, and various other doctors all start by checking it.  Most of the time it registers close to 120/70.  The last visit to the dentist had me at 168/80, which tells me my body doesn't like the dentist even if my brain does.  A similar reading at the urologist.  Yes, old folks have lots of physicians.

Most, if not all, of my doctor visits come before cycling.  Since we have this new toy, I'm able to take a reading after riding.  The first time it wasn't on purpose.  I did my ride, clean up etc.  A few hours later I came to the computer (the BP monitor is set up on the desk) and decided to check.  I felt fine, hadn't had to wait when I got up from the recliner.  When I saw the result, I figured the monitor had malfunctioned.  But I just moved on to whatever I wanted to look up on the computer.  The next day I checked in the morning and had a 113/79, which solidified my thought the previous reading was a malfunction.  Several days later I checked after cycling and registered 81/57.  That got my attention and my curiosity.  Over the next week I registered 121/69, 119/72, 95/69, and 83/54.  Yes, the low ones were after cycling.  For the record, we've had the BP monitor for a couple of months and mostly it just sits there.  It was only after the low readings did I check it daily for a week.

After my last one of 86/61 I decided to message my cardiologist to ask if I should come in early (I go annually anyhow).  But then, I just Googled "low BP and exercise" and went to a respected site to read what they had to say.  I was assured that a lower BP after exercise is normal and to be expected.  Nothing I read gave any real numbers.  So, while I'm not too concerned, I'll be quizzing my cardiologist if a 30 point drop is acceptable.  In the meantime, I'll assume it is and carry on my training as planned.

Those reading this post all exercise, but maybe they know folks who don't and need a little push to get started.  Lowering their BP might be just the shove they need.

CYCLING IN THE WIND

If I didn't need the mileage, I'd have stayed home.  But I do, and cycling on the trainer in the kitchen wasn't going to be sufficient.  At least it wasn't cold.  Today's was a zone 2, put in a couple hours sort of ride.  My schedule calls for two per week but in looking at the weather forecast, that might be a problem.  The other days are specific training: cadence, jumps or accelerations, power.

My go-to, thirty mile,  two-plus hour ride has me leaving from home, through the neighborhoods to the Brushy Creek Regional Trail which ends by Kalahari Resorts.  Then through Old Settlers Park and more neighborhoods until I reach Chandler Road.  It is an out-and-back route.  For longer rides I can then go east to Taylor or north to Walburg.  

When I left the house the wind came mostly from the south, with maybe a little SE direction.  Most of the first part headed east so I had the wind coming from the side.  I was happy for the Brushy Creek section, in that it protected me from most of the wind and is a nice, scenic, concrete trail.  Being concrete, it is a tad bumpy but I've gotten used to it.  

Most of getting through Old Settlers was north, so I had the wind at my back.  Likewise Red Bud Trail.  Then the road turned east at Limmer Loop.  County Rd 108 and 119 were also north.  The upshot was that I cruised most of the outbound with the wind at my back.  Then I turned around.

First I dropped to the small chain ring, then went up a few cogs.  It wasn't like it came as a surprise.  I anticipated an hour going out and an hour and fifteen minutes coming back.  As it turned out, I was only off by a few minutes.  Coming back against the wind didn't seem as tough and I didn't feel like I'd been through the wringer.  Maybe I'm finally getting a bit of form.