LAP SWIMMING IN OUR CONDO’S SWIMMING POOL

My wife plans on going outside tomorrow for an intermediate distance run, so we decided to do some

Bob, Swimming Freestyle

swimming early this morning instead of her running and me riding alongside her on my MTB. To help prevent injuries, she doesn't like to run two days in a row.

When I began swimming laps this morning, I struggled with my controlled breathing early on. But after a few laps, the breathing settled down. Whenever I have issues with breathing while doing freestyle, it has everything to do with not being able to completely expel my air before taking another breath. It’s a terrible feeling!

Most of my 24 laps were a combination of breast stroke and freestyle, with only three or four laps being freestyle only. Each lap in our condo’s swimming pool is 110 feet, or 33.528 meters.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/335284941

WALKING, LIFTING AND MTB RIDING

My wife and I did a casual walk to and from the fitness center, stopping twice for photos and stretching and once for a weight machine workout inside the gym.

http://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/314598131

 

Later in the day, I did an impromptu MTB ride with Sandy S. Our neighborhood ride was a combination of road cycling and sidewalk cycling, fast and slow, all on our mountain bikes. 

http://app.strava.com/activities/63664613

FRIDAY GROUP RIDE WITH SANDY, TOM AND GREG

I rode with Sandy, Tom and Greg through the towns of Davie, Cooper City, Weston and Sunrise. I began my ride in Pembroke Pines.

Because of eight miles of sidewalk riding to and from the meet-up place, my overall pace dropped down to 13.0 mph. The 26 miles that I rode with the guys generated an overall pace of something like 15.0 mph.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/334425828

ESCORT BIKE RIDE IN COUNTY PARK

While my wife did a training run/walk in CB Smith County Park, I rode alongside her on my mountain bike handing her the water bottle whenever she yelled for water, which was often today because of the high heat and humidity.

Generating a danger as usual were the parents that were driving their little ones into the park for summer camp. They completely ignore the 15 MPH Speed Limit signs – and God forbid should common sense tell them to slow down when another car is coming in the oncoming lane while you’re riding or running on the side of the road. I swear, they would rather risk a head on collision than slow down until the coast is clear. What a bunch of jerk offs.

I’ve a good mind to walk into the park’s office and then ask who is controlling the scofflaw parents from potentially killing or injuring pedestrians. Trust me, folks, if I did that, I would be the one that looks like the trouble maker. County employees, or government employees as a whole, do not like to be questioned. Most of them feel that they are above being held accountable.

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1443721

Slow walk to and from the gym with my wife.  We added some distance by walking through the medical offices and hospital’s parking areas.  Average temperature was 88F – real-feel 96F.     

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/334115767

GROUP/SOLO MTN. BIKE RIDE

I’m not fast, I know it, so get over it!

Diamonback Outlook Mtn Bike

Despite my obvious lack of speed, which is by design, I still managed to do a 1/3 Imperial Century on my Mtn bike earlier this morning.

After meeting up with the guys at the meet-up spot at 7:45 a.m., I chose to ride with Mr. Ed and Mr. Rey. Sandy, Doug and Tom were planning on a fast ride, so I thought slowing it down a notch or two (or three) might be wise seeing as though I rode to the meet-up spot on my Mtn bike and not my 10lb lighter road bike.

From the meet-up spot to the coffee shop in Weston, I tagged alongside Ed and Rey. The wind was at our backs, so keeping up with the two old roadies wasn't an issue.

After leaving the coffee shop, and after crossing over I-75, I yelled over to Ed that I was going back a different way. He acknowledged and away I went, all by myself on Shotgun Road and then the bike trail  that runs parallel to Orange Drive and the South New River Canal. When I came upon Palm Avenue/Nob Hill Road, a road that is being torn up and rebuilt, a real mess, I turned onto the sidewalk and stayed on the sidewalks until I entered our gated community a few miles later.

The Weather Channel tells me that the real feel temperature at the end of my ride was 96F. I believe it!  The 15 to 18 mph wind in my face while riding back was another bummer. But hey, if it was easy, everyone and their brother would be out biking.

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1441559

SHORT WALK, WEIGHT MACHINES, AND A MTN BIKE RIDE

Despite it being too hot outdoors for man or beast, my wife and I walked across the street to the fitness center for a routine weight machine workout.

I didn’t mind walking in the heat, but walking with the full sun scorching my skin isn’t exactly on my things-to-do-to-stay-healthy list. I did wear a ball cap, but I left off the sunscreen because of the short length of the walk. My bad!

Instead of writing up a separate post just for the weights, please allow me to say that we stayed inside the cool, air-conditioned gym for 31 minutes pushing and pulling on the machine’s levers.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/333138480


Just to compare the ride stats on my mountain bike’s newly installed bike computer to my Garmin Edge 500, I took the mtn. bike out for a short ride around the neighborhood.

The bike computer registered my distance a tad bit farther than the Garmin, but both speeds were always identical.

Close enough!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/333321140

SLOW, COMFORTABLE RIDE TO AND FROM THE COFFEE SHOP

Only four of us showed up today for our Monday morning bike ride. We were expecting six.

No one felt like going fast today, so we kept the pace comfortable for everyone. Sandy and I got a bit edgy three or four miles short of the coffee shop, so we picked up the pace while in Weston’s wide bike lanes. Even that burst of speed wasn't anything to write home about.

On the way back to the meet-up place from the coffee shop, Sandy and I rode alone at a pace somewhat faster than Tom and Ed’s pace. In fact, they were nowhere in sight in our rear-view mirrors.

The 15 mph ESE wind was in our faces during the entire return trip. When that’s the case, Ed struggles tremendously. This more than likely is why he and Tom were far behind Sandy and me. Ed, by the way, is 82 years of age.

Five minutes after arriving home, we had a brief downpour. Perfect timing if I say so myself.

http://app.strava.com/activities/62547235

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/332670400

CYCLING THROUGH THREE CITIES ON MY MTN. BIKE

 

Rather than joining one of my cycling club’s Sunday morning rides, where everyone rides one wheel-length behind one another while staring at each other’s fat buttocks and spinning rear wheel, I opted to take my new Mtn. bike out for a relaxing, scenic sidewalk-type ride through the cities of Miramar, Pembroke Pines and Cooper City.

Doing so gave me the continuous option of turning wherever I wanted to turn, stopping whenever I wanted to stop, and pedaling the speed that satisfied me and not the speed that satisfied some unproven ride leader and his/her obedient pack. Not that there’s anything wrong with club pace-line cycling, it’s just that I prefer to be independent of the masses – and that goes for my non-cycling life as well.

Adding to the joy of this morning’s 16-miler was the occasional light rain showers that passed through the area. They were more like misty events than rain events, just enough mist to keep you cooled off from the morning humidity and low 80’s temps.

Nice, also, was the lack of motor-vehicle traffic at intersections. The streets were quiet and the sidewalks were nearly empty of humans and dogs. Only once did I have a need to stop my bike on the sidewalks, and that was when a pace-line of ducks was crossing the street and sidewalk in route to one of many lakes that embellish this area.

I loved today’s bike ride!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/331991073

LAP SWIMMING, WALKING AND WEIGHT MACHINES

Combination breaststroke and freestyle for 12 laps in our condo’s swimming pool. Total distance was 440 yards, or 400 meters.

I seriously need to work on controlled breathing. It was somewhat difficult to expel air prior to taking another breath. Needless to say, breathing while swimming is much more difficult than breathing while cycling or walking.

Taking into consideration that this was my first swim of the summer, I suppose I shouldn’t expect to swim like a barracuda. Proper breathing while swimming takes a lot of practice. I’ll get better with every swim workout.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/331394466

Even though it was 88 degrees Fahrenheit outdoors, I still wanted to get in a casual two-mile walk irrespective of the high temperature.  On top of wanting to get in a walk, I was scheduled for a weight machine workout in our hospital’s fitness center.  Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays are gym days. 

So after applying sunscreen on all exposed body parts, off I went into the jungle of humankind, determined to keep the walk at a casual pace regardless of how quickly I wanted to get out of the burning sun.  Walking slow is easy for me, though, because that’s what I do, walk slowly.

The fitness center was basically empty of homo sapiens, so I more or less had my pick of machines.  Working out on only 12 machines, and only doing one set per machine, the workout was comparatively quick.  Twenty minutes max!  I spend very little time going from one machine to the next.

It’s now time to relax, pop some popcorn, take my frozen smoothie out of the freezer, and then see what free movies Comcast has to offer.           

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/331568894

BIKE RIDE TO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND BACK

Fishing pier at Dania Beach, FL

Starting out at 8 a.m. this morning, Sandy, Stephen, Tom, Greg and I rode our road bikes to Hollywood Beach and back via Griffin Road. For the most part, Griffin Road has bike lanes in each direction the entire distance, starting one mile east of the Florida Everglades to US Highway 1 in Dania Beach.

While on the beach boardwalk, we stopped for breakfast at an outdoor cafe. I believe the name of the cafe was The La Brochette Cafe, obviously Frenchman owned and operated.

Greg, Tom, Bob and Sandy

While sitting at our breakfast table eating our meals, we were in awe at the oodles of scantily attired runners that were jogging parallel to the ocean on the brick boardwalk – mostly women, I might add. There were a handful of cyclists riding on the boardwalk’s bike lane, but most of those were riding slower fat tire bikes.

Even though the temperature was on the hot side, topping off at 100F per my Garmin GPS, we still enjoyed the summer bike ride to the Atlantic Ocean and back. From what my wife told me earlier this morning, today is supposed to be the longest day of the year and officially the first day of summer - and maybe one of the hottest.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/331058211

MTN BIKE RIDE AROUND LAKE AND NEIGHBORHOOD

I rode 4 1/2 miles alongside my beautiful wife while she did a training run, and I then rode an additional 4 1/2 miles around our block. My distance goal this morning was 11 kilometers. Goal achieved.

The average temperature during this short MTN bike ride was a comfortable 80F, with the eastern sky covered with slow moving clouds. The welcomed clouds kept the rising sun from making it feel hotter than it was.

The white Florida Egrets were out in force this morning, searching for worms below the surface of the lake’s grassy areas. There was also an abundance of ducks paddling through the shallow water of the lake. Nature kept our focus off the myriad of motorcars and disgruntled drivers.

We have so much to be thankful for!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/330582708

During the afternoon, I did a slow, casual walk to and from the fitness center for a weight-machine workout. 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/330788684

NON-WORKOUT DAY

Wednesday was a non-workout day. No cycling, no swimming, and no casual walk to the gym, resulting in no gym-workout. It was indeed a rare day for me!

I instead had a bilateral lumbar injection procedure administered at the Weston Outpatient facility in Weston in hopes of relieving my lower back pain. The back pain and discomfort is a result of arthritis.

I am overly pleased to report that my lower back pain has diminished from a pain-lever of 10 (Maximum) to a pain-lever of 1 (Minimum).

I’ll continue icing the area in question for another day, but I do intend on cycling a few miles this morning while my remarkable wife does a short training run/walk around our neighborhood. She runs while I ride alongside her, handing her the water bottle whenever she gives me the signal.

I love my water boy duties.

WALK IN THE JUNGLE

The jungle that I speak of is our immediate neighborhood during morning rush hour. Lurking in the bowels of every street, alley or parking lot are two-ton monsters of all colors and shapes, ready to pounce on unsuspecting joggers and walkers.

Jane and Tarzan (my wife and I) managed to survive the morning fury by staying on the sidewalks and looking twice before crossing the streets – just like our moms taught us during our toddler years.

We had to endure this morning madness in able to have our one motor-vehicle properly maintained by the friendly folks at Firestone.

As soon as the truck was checked in, we walked to the gym, did 45 minutes of weight machines, walked home, fixed and ate breakfast, and then walked back to Firestone to pick up the vehicle.
3,000 miles from now, look for a similar posting.

http://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/305772777

HOT, SUB-TROPICAL, HALF METRIC CENTURY BIKE RIDE

Riding Underneath Interstate Highway 75

The first six-miles and the last two miles of this morning’s bike ride was under a 10 mph pace, so it’s no wonder my overall pace was only 12.7 mph. There simply isn't any way that I can combine sidewalk riding with road cycling and expect to end up with a respectable overall pace. It just isn't going to happen. It is what it is!

Anyhow, after the meet with Sandy S, Tom H and Greg, we had a route in mind to get us to the coffee shop but we were understandably sidetracked at the busy intersection of Flamingo Road and Orange Drive. 

One of our riders wanted to go west on Orange Drive instead of north on Flamingo so he could catch a fleeting glimpse of the scenery along the South New River Canal bike path. The rest of us agreed and away we went, with me on the bike path and the others across the street in traffic. I liked my choice because I got to see and speak with the two female bike riders that were scantily attired for a typical hot, sub-tropical bike ride. That’s all I’ll say on that topic!

After our one coffee break at Einstein’s (Adding up all of our stops at Einstein’s, you’d think we would be gaining some smarts – but that’s not the case), we headed towards Markham Park and the concrete bike lane that runs east and west. We headed east towards Flamingo Road after entering the huge county park. Ironically, several of our sheriff department’s explorers were undergoing bike training in one of the park’s asphalt parking lots. Some of them may become future roadies.

After leaving the east side of the park, we passed underneath sections of the elevated I-75 highway. It’s an awesome sight and feeling to be underneath such a massive highway.

Four miles into our ride on the concrete bike lane, we came upon busy Flamingo Road. Maneuvering through the intersection of Interstate Highway 595 and Flamingo Road is a real trick. Staying uninjured and alive is even trickier. A massive construction project has the entire area in shambles, which puts bicyclists and pedestrians at risk.

We safely ended our casual ride with a three-mile, 17 mph push into the ESE wind.

It was at the meet-up spot where I bid my wheel mates a “good day” and where I returned to the sidewalks for a slow 2-mile journey towards my gated community.

My wife and two kitty cats were pleased to see me walking up the stairs holding my road bike in one hand and my helmet in the other, and I was equally pleased to see them.  I was also overjoyed to get my butt into our air-conditioned home. It was another hot, steamy bike ride in the sub-tropics of South Florida.

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/304763871

CLUB INTERMEDIATE BIKE RIDE

Opting for a slower ride this morning, I chose to ride with our club’s intermediate pace group. We had eight
riders in today’s bunch.

Starting out at a local Trek bike shop on NW 136^th Avenue just north of I-595, we did a routine tour of the City of Weston, passing first through Markham County Park on its wide, nicely-groomed bike trail.

Noticeable on Weston’s normally squeaky-clean bike lanes were numerous palm tree branches, a result of yesterday afternoon’s rain storm that passed through the area. Nonetheless, dodging the branches was made easy because of the lack of motor-vehicle traffic, which is common for that area on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

After the ride, the Trek bike shop had a nice layout of food and beverages for all cyclists. It was their way of promoting their products. I have to say, it looked like a very nice bike shop. Very clean and organized looking! The coffee and sweet roll was agreeable as well.

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/303259329

SEMI-FAST, HOT RIDE IN THE SUB-TROPICS

I did another advanced/experienced ride this morning, this time with Sandy S, Tom H, Greg and Stephen.

 

Our small group of five did a completely different route today. We started out by riding through the Shenandoah section on the way to the coffee shop. After our one-hour coffee break, we then headed towards the City of Miramar through some of the country roads that are located in the southwest section of the county.

 

My ride ended when we passed the intersection of Flamingo and Johnson. It was there that I bid my wheel mates a good day. They had 2 ½ miles to go to reach the meet-up point.

 

Other cities that we rode through were Cooper City, Davie, Weston, Southwest Ranches and Pembroke Pines, but not necessarily in that order.

 

It was a rather warm day, with my Garmin’s thermometer reaching a high of 100.4F in the sun.

 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/327651228

ADVANCED BIKE RIDE

This morning’s ride was one of those rides where I started out riding alongside my wife for 4 miles while she did a training run. Afterwards, I used the bumpy sidewalks to meet up with my cycling mates. That was an additional 2 miles at a snail’s pace. I then joined my cycling mates at the meet-up spot for a fast, advanced ride into the City of Weston and the coffee shop.

My overall pace for the 44 miles was 13.6 mph. However, as soon as I joined my cycling mates, we rode an additional 38 miles at a 16.7 overall pace. From the meet-up spot to the coffee shop we maintained nearly an 18 mph pace. Sweet!

When we were just about ready to leave the coffee shop for our return ride, a voluptuous young lady walked up to Sandy S. and me claiming that she knows the secret to making a 60 year old feel like he’s 20. “Wow,” we thought! She then went on to tell us about this new radical health drink that promises to reduce cell aging in 30 days. She even gave each of us a flyer with her telephone number. By golly, maybe there is some hope for us old geezers.

And most of you thought I was going somewhere else with the lady story, didn’t you? Admit it! Shame on you!

 

One hour after arriving home from the bike ride, it began pouring down rain. Our two cats are currently hiding from the lightning and thunder monsters.

http://app.strava.com/activities/59945207

ESCORT/GROUP BIKE RIDE

After riding alongside my wife while she did a five-mile training run/walk, I hooked up with my wheel mates, Sandy S, Tom, Greg, Stephen, Rey and Ed, for a ride to Weston’s Einstein’s Coffee Shop. With the wind at our backs, it was relatively easy going from the meet-up spot all the way to Einstein’s.

Riding back to the meet-up spot from Einstein’s was a different story, however. With a steady 12 to 15 mph ESE wind hitting us squarely in our faces, I had to dig deep for some extra energy just to keep up with the two lead riders. The workout was good for me, though.

Thank you Sandy S and Tom for pushing me to new cycling heights, ahhh, I mean “Thank you for pulling me.”

My overall pace for the 33 miles was 10.7 mph, which includes 6 miles riding alongside my wife and 3 miles of sidewalk riding from the meet-up spot to home.  However, my pace during the group ride was 14.18 mph.

It’s time for a late breakfast. As soon as breakfast is over with, I’m going to sit back and watch Race Across America and Bicycle Dreams. I can’t wait!

 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/325888219

THREE-CITY MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE

After reading some of the cycling posts earlier this morning on Daily Mile, I knew that I had to get myself in gear and go out for a casual mountain bike ride. I refused to begin my Sunday by being lazy!

By 6:30 AM, I was out the door dressed in blue/orange riding attire, my mountain bike was ready to go, and the Garmin Edge 500 was programmed to start measuring my miles, time and etc. as soon as it detected movement.

Wanting to go somewhere different, I headed south towards the City of Miramar. I rode all the way to the border of Miami-Dade County on Red Road and then turned back northward for a turn west on Miramar Parkway. From there I was in unfamiliar territory.

Taking a chance that the road went through to Pembroke Road, I turned north on Monarch Lakes Boulevard and then left on 136^th Street. Bingo, both roads eventually led me to familiar Pembroke Road. From there it was northbound on Flamingo Road all the way north to Stirling Road, at which time I turned towards the ocean, or east.

Hiatus Road then led me all the way south to the area where I began the ride.

I then finished my mtn. bike ride with a sprint on Johnson Street, bringing the shiny new bike to 22+ mph without much effort. It was a textbook finish to a rather slow sidewalk type ride.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/325152854

HOT, HUMID CASUAL WALK

Tropical Buffer Separating the Sidewalk From the Road 

Not having a blasted thing to do in our home in regards to housework, and not wanting to settle in to watch a movie video just yet on the HD TV, I decided to head out the door for a casual walk. I also had in mind stopping in the fitness center for a muscle-maintenance workout.

The first thing I noticed when leaving our home was the heat. It appears that the last few days of cooling rain has passed. Characteristically, after a few days of rain here in the sub-tropics, the area really heats up and the humidity becomes stifling.

With gobs of sunscreen slathered all over my body, the walk was enormously uncomfortable. If you wish to follow my walking path on Garmin Connect’s map (see link below), you may notice some zig-zag to my walk. That’s when I headed for every section of shade that was casts by the perimeter's large oak trees.

I did make it to the gym, and I did do a muscle-maintenance workout. Nothing really heavy, just a maintenance type workout on the resistance machines! The place was nearly empty of humanoids, making my training that much more enjoyable.

Despite how uncomfortable it was during my walk, I’m glad I didn't get lazy and opt for a movie. But I am lazy now, and I am going to watch a movie. It’s just a matter of choosing which one I want to watch.

I’m up for a comedy, popcorn and a strawberry smoothie.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/324706643

ESCORT MTN. BIKE RIDE

While my wife did a four-mile training run/walk around our local shopping mall, I rode alongside her on my mountain bike handing her the water bottle at her every beckoning.

Lined up at the mall, again, were several people standing in line to purchase new-model athletic shoes. Several police were in the area to control the growing crowd. What these people do is buy the shoes and then sell them at an inflated price. Maybe a handful of people actually keep to shoes for themselves. That, my friends, is capitalism at its best.

I thought it was rather pleasant during our ride/run, but my wife says that it was hot and muggy. She’s always right, you know. So please allow me to say that it was overcast and somewhat muggy, with the temperature holding steady in the mid-seventies. Scattered showers are forecast for this afternoon.

It’s time for some eggs with waffles that are smothered with fresh blueberries, walnuts and maple syrup. YUM!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/324528417

PERFECT WEATHER FOR A BIKE RIDE

Who said it was going to rain this morning, the weather man?

While five of us did a 24.6-mile, out-and-back bike ride, not a drop of rain came out of the sky. Other than a stiff breeze that was coming out of the southwest, a byproduct of Tropical Storm Andrea, I would say that the weather was perfect for cycling and all outdoor activities. Okay, maybe not for badminton, but for just about everything else done in the great outdoors. So here’s to you, Mr. Weather Man. (Concealed graphic expletive)

The chit chat was abundant this morning, with the five of us focusing mostly on our ball-less media and the large gathering of clueless turkeys that reside in and around Washington DC, both Hens and Toms and those in between. Enough said on that topic!

With all of our public schools now out of session, the coffee shop was especially crowded this morning. I never knew so many young folks gravitated towards the coffee pot that early in the morning. When I was their age, I don’t recall even liking coffee. For me, however, coffee became a must-have item when I served in the US Navy, where every sailor used coffee as a wake-up tool after a fun night out on the town. Can anyone relate?

Enough of my meaningless chatter! Everyone have a wonderful, safe weekend.

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/297181803

SHORT, CASUAL WALK ALONG THE LAKE

Bored from doing housework all morning, I headed out the door for a short, casual walk around our three-mile block. I get cabin fever very quickly!

When I headed out, the sun was hiding behind a bunch of dark clouds. Perfect!

However, just moments after I left our gated area, the sun unexpectedly came out, which wasn't in my favor because I failed to apply sunscreen prior to leaving our condo.

For that reason, as well as an aching lower back, I shortened my walk by not walking around the block. I instead crossed the street and walked along the lake admiring how green and colorful our area has become ever since rainy season began.

I had considered going out for a short ride on my mtn. bike, but Tropical Storm Andrea promises to drop some wet stuff on our area periodically. Hurricane season has arrived, folks.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/323821231

WEDNESDAY GROUP BIKE RIDE

This morning’s ride was one of those rides that had a lot of sidewalk riding as well as a handful of sprints. The five miles of sidewalk riding was when I had to ride to and from the meet-up spot by myself when traffic was at its worst. 

From the meet-up spot to the coffee shop in Weston, I rode only with Senior Rey. The other three in today’s group of five took a different and much faster route.

After sitting on our duffs for over an hour at the coffee shop, all five of us rode together from Einstein’s Bagel Shop back to the meet-up spot. It looked like rain, so we determined that it would be much safer staying together.

It’s always hard to get started again after sitting for so long. Today was no exception!

We were all saddened when Rossana reminded us that she will not be able to ride with us again on Wednesday’s until school reconvenes in September.

After saying our farewells to Rossana in front of her home, Sandy and I finished our ride with a gratifying 23 mph, ½ mile sprint.  “Sprinting it in” is a good way to end any bike ride!     

It was a fun ride with a good group of individuals – and it never did rain on our heads - and my blueberry muffin and coffee at Einstein's was delicious. I call that a “GOOD” day.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/323317762

WALKING IN THE RAIN

I walked to and from the fitness center in the rain with my lovely wife. Once inside the gym, we spent over a half an hour working out on most of the upper and lower-body resistance machines.

It is now time for breakfast followed later by a strawberry smoothie. We earned them!

http://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/294591177

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/322823185

ESCORT/GROUP BIKE RIDE

After riding alongside my wife for 5.05 miles while she did a training run, I joined my three cycling mates for 21 additional miles.

Because of the threat of rain, we altered our route in order to be closer to cover. It never did rain!

We experienced one mechanical when my front tire suddenly went flat after I ran over a medium-sized rock in Griffin Road’s westbound bike lane. It was a pinch type flat. 

As good luck would have it, where we stopped for coffee was next door to a local bike shop, where I used their air pump to replace the cartridge air with real air. 

Shortly after leaving the bike and coffee shops, we rode our bikes atop Mt. Trashmore in Davie, Florida.  The 1/4 mile climb was a mere 8% gradient. 

Mt. Trashmore, according to my Garmin Edge 500, is only 50 feet above sea level, yet down here in South Florida we call that a mountain.    

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/322374845

PACE-LINE TRAINING WITH CYCLING CLUB

Even though pace line training isn’t exactly what I need at this point in my cycling career, I still joined four other club members for some basic pace line training.

There were five in our group, two ladies, two brand new cyclists and me. For reasons that are obvious, I did all I could to stay away from the newbies.

It was a fun ride, though. The weather was perfect – high of 82 with clear skies and very little breeze.

http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/292801707

CASUAL WALK TO AND FROM GYM

Most folks train to walk, swim and bike faster, while I train my mind to thoroughly appreciate every stride, stroke and crank. Either method of training, in my opinion, is appropriate and beneficial for the mind and body.

This morning’s casual walk to and from the fitness center was particularly hot and muggy. Even though the sky was covered with slow-moving clouds, blocking out the sun’s damaging rays, the air seemed to be suffocating. The 4 to 5 mph wind simply wasn’t enough to keep the body comfortably cooled.

When inside the gym, my wife and I worked out together on most of the upper and lower body resistance machines. Only one set per machine. Forget the “No pain, no gain” cliché today, we had to get in and get out quicker than normal in order to fit in all that we have planned today.

http://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/292129119