[SportsandRec] [Portlanders] Competition is where you find it

[GL Norman]

Be blessed. This is a great missive. Happy holidays!

-----Original Message-----
From: SportsandRec <sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Ron Burzese via SportsandRec
Sent: Thursday, December 23, 2021 1:09 PM
To: Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List <sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Ron Burzese <rrburzese at gmail.com>
Subject: [SportsandRec] Competition is where you find it

So yesterday, the ground was wet. Ted did not really feel like getting out. His tandem does not have fenders, so I offered the set from our Raleigh. We both agreed and took the lazy way out.

With my wife's permission, I turned off the heat and prepared for an indoor ride. When it comes to training indoors, I prefer being a polar bear. She was in the kitchen, making lunch, so I put on some upbeat, gospel music. I suited up with an old pair of shorts, tank top, and an old Campy hat that I bought when I was maybe 14. It keeps the hair off my neck and away from my face. This helps with absorbing moisture and staying cool as well. I've also found that wearing gloves helps keep damp hands from slipping on the bars. Last, but not least, I have an 18-inch fan, blowing right in my face and chest. I have it turned to the side until I am warmed up. Then, I can just reach forward and direct it on me, without breaking my cadence.. When I lived in Minneapolis, I was able to heat my living room by two or three degrees after riding the trainer, two or three hours at a time. I was at the top of my game, in my thirties.

I had a satisfactory ride. I went for an hour, covering 15 miles, burning over 500 calories, and generating about 143 watts. I have not yet learned about kilojoules and the like, but the Kinetic Fit app records them. I spent most of my time in zones 3, 4, and 5. By the end of the session, I was sweaty and felt like I had a real workout. Lunch was almost ready, so I had time to move the Kent tandem  back over toward the trainer and wash up. I had a roasted chicken salad, with roasted veggies mixed in there as well.

Since my wife was going out shopping, I was able to keep the heater off. After lunch, I felt like one hour was not enough. When I ride outdoors, two hours is more likely. So while the place was cooling off still, I got back on the bike.

I started the app and had Siri set my usual timer for an hour. Then, I got distracted by finding a station on Pandora. I wanted a change of pace, musically speaking. I tried smooth jazz instrumentals, but it was too mellow. Then, I tried reggae Christmas, but it was not serious enough for working out. So I settled on yacht rock. By the time I picked the station, I upshifted and began to settle into a rhythm. It was shortly after that I realized that I had a chance to race my previous time. Riding a trainer lends itself to using one's imagination. Otherwise, one will get bored and want to quit early. You always want to beat the other guy, even if it is yourself. Maybe a couple of hours went by, between rides, so it was a different set of conditions, with some rest in the mix.

With my goal in sight, I was pushing hard, using every trick to get as much performance out of my legs as I could. I would shift into the big ring to stand, then stay in it a while longer, after sitting, to cover more ground. Or, I would shift up a gear, after returning to the little ring. I was pulling up on my stroke and scraping across the bottom, floating across the top, trying to maximize my power. Near the end of the session, I was really suffering. I was looking forward to my alarm going off.

Afterwards, I did my cool down, hoping for good results. I washed up and sat on the couch. For the second hour, I got in 14.64 miles, generating about 135 watts. The other guy beat me! I think I lost the race when I took too much time, fiddling with the stations. I was spinning out, without really going anywhere. My old iPhone 4 tends to scroll down a list, without me prompting it to do so. Sometimes, I'll tap on a station and it moves to another selection on its own.

Bottom line, I gave it a good effort. Even though I lost the race, I actually won. Challenging my previous time actually gave me a rabbit to chase. This gave me a better workout in the end.

Be blessed,

St. Ron of Sacramento
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