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Training...

I'm starting to crank up my training intensity. I'm trying to swim three times a week with one session of drills (one-arm drills are my favorite) and one "long" swim. I try to run one interval run and one long run, and one long ride, then fill in the rest of the week with 30-60 minute runs and rides.

I started taking creatine last week. I did for a month last fall and it worked out well. So far it is rough. I am constantly dehydrated, and possibly from all the water I'm drinking I am running low on salts. I suspect this because I have been cramping and that is not normal for me. I am doubling up on bananas and drinking Gatorade to correct that. My hamstring cramped up on me twice and I just do not like that at all! I am working out more intensely and as a result I'm completely sore.

Snow today, gone tomorrow

I took these pictures of Boomer Lake in Stillwater Oklahoma 24 hours apart. The left side is the heavy snow of February 8, 2010. The right side is February 9, 2010. We had a lot of rain before the snow and it did not last long. It looks warmer but today is several degrees cooler than yesterday. (26°F vs. 33°F)

Wish list for the new bike

In between winter storms I've gone for a couple of short rides. I intended to buy everything at once when I got this bike but I skipped a few things so now I have a wish list.
Work to do:

  • Get my Garmin Forerunner to recognize the cadence/speedo transmitter. It won't see it and that bugs me.
  • Improve the front fender mount. There is very little clearance (~none) between the V-brakes and the fender. I need to cut off the stock fork mount on the fender and move it forward a couple of inches, I think.
  • Make mudflaps for the fenders.
  • Replace odd-size fender fasteners. The fasteners on the fenders use a socket (8mm if I remember correctly, not sure). I want to replace these with stainless socket pan head screws to match the water bottle screws so that I won't have to carry that socket wrench.
  • Wax the underside of the fenders. This won't do much, but it will keep a bit of mud & grime off for the first ride or two.
  • Paint the fenders flat black. I just don't care for the shiny black fenders.
  • Mount the new tires. I got a set of Continental Ultra Gatorskins with the bike. I was going to wait until spring to mount them but I learned today that the stock tires get virtually no traction. So I may as well start off with good tires.
  • Improve the cadence magnet on the crank. Right now the magnet is a stack of neo buttons held to the pedal shaft. I should probably put some heat shrink around them or do something to keep them from getting lost if I hit a good bump.
  • Dial in the pedals. It's hard to clip into the right pedal, not sure why. I also need to analyze my knee motion and see how straight they are. (Crank Bros Candy SL)

    Stuff to buy:

  • Garmin Edge 305 GPS/computer - now under $200 on Amazon
  • Garmin Forerunner 305 - now ~$160 on Amazon
  • Shorty/clip-on aero bars (yes it's a cross bike, I don't care, I'll take them off in the fall)
  • Bottle/gel straw for aero bars
  • Knobby tires for next fall, or at least something with some tread
  • Wheels so I don't have to swap tires
  • Trainer
  • Platform-type hitch-mount bike rack for the SUV
  • Rear rack that fits the paniers behind the rear axle, because of my size 49 feet
  • Trunk bag for the rack

    Stuff to do:

  • "March in Okarche" duathlon in eight weeks (30K bike)
  • Tulsa Tough centuries in May, or at least one of them
  • Freewheel in June, because this year is a perfect ride from Hugo OK to Joplin MO. Beautiful country and some good hills.
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