Wednesday, May 10, 2006

How's your training going?

"How's your training going?" queried Iron Jenny, my faithful, always smiling training partner, who coincidentally is enroute to Ironman Brazil at months end.



Well, I started epic ride #2 on Monday by gluing my helmet to my hand. For those of you not so intrepid bikers allow me to school you in the reality that helmet hand makes riding a little precarious. For starters, the helmet is generally meant to protect your head in the case of a crash, which it can only effectively do if it is on your head. I have quick reflexes, but I doubt even I could flip my lid in flight to save my skull. Second, helmet hand makes shifting an Edwards Scissorhands beee--otch.

So, out comes the X-acto knife.

Trimama, how in biker god's name did you glue your helmet to your hand?

In the interest of safety I bought a little mirror for my lid.

(which for the record is the freakiest damn thing ever invented; the cars look like they are coming at you sideways)

The little mirror comes with a double stick adhesive tape which I used to mount said mirror to said lid. But, my moron chip must have failed that day, because I stuck the adhesive to a sticker- which tore away and left said mirror dangling towards my shoulder.

Out comes the super glue, (which is God's second greatest adhesive tool given to man, just short of duct tape, which would not work in this situation because little wispy strands of hair would stick and pull away as I ride. I don't want bike helmet pattern baldness at this stage of my illustrious career.) and I applied several generous drops to the mounting platform. A quick calculation of surface tension and adhesive volume would have told me that the glue was going to exceed the platform surface area, but alas, my mind was on epic bike ride and not quantum physics. (yes I know quantum is about chaos and all that- my point exactly)

So, voila! my hand is now stuck to my helmet.

I did complete epic bike ride #2 travelling 68.25 miles in 4 hours and 18 minutes. I covered a little over 34 miles in the first 2 hours which was fantastic for me, particularly because it was a windy, gusty day. Now that my mind has accepted the distance, it seems my legs are strengthening to meet the challenge. Although my knees were a little freaky the next day and my neck muscles froze up from aero-ing in the wind (I think).

When I asked my Local Bike Shop guy about the soreness he stated flatly,

"you have a big head" "all that weight is pulling down on your shoulder muscles"

I beg to differ, my head is perfectly proportional to the rest of my body, and any moron who could glue their helmet to their hand is at no risk of having a metaphorically big head. I prefer to think the sore shoulders is concrete proof that there is more upstairs then air.

Finally, I read in a recent fitness mag that floating in water is a good way to loosen sore muscles. I had a 1300 yd recovery swim yesterday, in the midst of which I used the pull buoy and floated in the water for several minutes between sets. Simply wonderful. What Hyphen Girls pincer like hands couldn't massage away, the water loosened-give it a try.

Hour-twenty ride today and hopefully some running with track work tomorrow.

Until then-have a sunny one.

13 comments:

Hollyfish said...

This is a total RIOT! Thanks for the giggles... and I'm so impressed by your epic rides...very cool progress!

Nancy Toby said...

So THAT is why my shoulders are always sore! I DO have a big head. Hat size 7.5+. Gargantuan.

Spandex King said...

I'm also in the big head group. Never bought a hat that I didn't try on first. I like to think that my fat head matches my massive biceps and quads. Is ther sun in Mnpls? There hasn't been a whole lot in LaCrosse this week.

Chris said...

Haha! So who was it at GW that commented on your head size?

I'm with you though. If your neck is sore, clearly you're not just holding air up there.

Fe-lady said...

"Big-head"? Like Elaine in Seinfeld? I have the opposite and look stupid in helmets and baseball caps.
Hope head size isn't (for my sake) related to brain-capacity! Or I am in trouble!
Great rides by the way!

Dr. Iron TriFeist :) said...

I my head is particularly dense for its size. This explains somethings I do as well as my sore shoulders.

Congrats on the long ride.

walchka said...

I'm with Chris who said that? Congrats on your long ride, you'll have to pass along the route sometime.

greyhound said...

LOL. "You have a big head." How blunt is that. Now how am I going to avoid laughing and falling off my bike when my shoulders start aching this weekend?

Comm's said...

Now thats a story for the grandkids. I am sure tri-hubby was nothing but sympathetic and didn't have nary a snide comment to give.

Cliff said...

:) too funny.

Crackhead said...

Who is Jenny? I am doing IM Brazil, maybe we can meet up. Tell her to go to my blog and email me or comment on something or whatever!

Thanks!

the Dread Pirate Rackham said...

Dearest TriMama -

we speak the same language. I too share your head issues. I'd like to think it's because I have a large brain, alas science has proven me wrong...

I frequently use superglue to glue tiny cracks in my skin - but have yet to glue my fingers together. There's still time, I fear...

Dread

Kewl Nitrox said...

Thanks for yet another fun post. Brought a smile to my face when i needed it most. :)

Your LBS guy is too cruel! I guess as we get thin and beautiful our heads might appear a tad bigger. Just takes getting used to.

I met a female ex-colleague whom I have not met in YEARS and her first reaction is "Yikes, you lost SO MUCH weight - you look like a drug addict". Emmmm... Thanks, I think...