[IZ] 3 Park Bike, 8/13

Dist: 17.9 miles
Time: 1:23
Avg: 12.9 MPH

The usual route. Legion of Honor, Golden Gate Park, Presidio.

I was tired. Even getting up to Lafayette Park was a trial.

[IZ] 1 1/2 Marin Headlands Bike, 8/12

Dist: 22.3 miles
Time: 1:54
Avg: 11.7 MPH

The usual route.

[IZ] 1 1/2 Marin Headlands Bike, 8/11

Dist: 22.2 miles
Time: 1:47
Avg: 12.4 MPH

The usual route.

[IZ] Weekly Mileage, 8/10

Odometer: 1235

Next Target: 200 miles

OK, I'm going to pretend that the last two weeks didn't happen. There may be a lingering taste of laziness, cold mornings, defeatism and mild illness, but, other than that, I remember NOTHING.

So here's the deal: If I can't make my 200 mile target this week then the trip is off. I HAVE to put some 70 mile hilly days behind me or I'm really going to suffer later. If I don't put in the time and effort now, then I shouldn't go.

UPDATE: So it looks like I had my dates wrong. The trip doesn't start in two weeks, like I thought, it starts next week. I just can't make it. I've already changed my plane tickets. There will be no biking. BUT I WILL STILL BIKE 200 MILES THIS WEEK, DAMMIT.

[IZ] 1 1/2 Marin Headlands Bike, 8/1

Dist: 22.3 miles
Time: 1:56
Avg: 11.5 MPH

The usual route.

[IZ] 1 1/2 Marin Headlands Bike, 7/30

Dist: 22.2 miles
Time: 1:52
Avg: 11.9 MPH

The usual route. Pannier full of books.

[IZ] Bridge Bike, 7/29

Dist: 17.2 miles
Time: 1:40
Avg: 10.3 MPH

Across the bridge, down and back up.

I took it nice and slow. Got the GPS to work. Geotagged some photos. Failed to upload them to Flickr.

[IZ] Weekly Mileage, 7/27

Weekly Total: 138 miles
Odometer: 1106

Next Target: 200 miles

So, I got lazy yesterday. I was planning to climb up to Mt. Tam, but it was cold, foggy, windy, and generally looked like it would be a miserable ride. Instead I stayed home. It felt great. Today I'm rested, which I haven't felt for a while.

This week I'm adding weight to the bike. I have a pannier full of books all set to go. Wheeeee

[IZ] Paradise Drive Bike, 7/26

Dist: 49.0 miles
Time: 3:34
Avg: 13.7 MPH

The usual route.

I pushed myself and made (for me) good time.

[IZ] 1 1/2 Marin Headlands Bike, 7/24

Dist: 22.2 miles
Time: 1:45
Avg: 12.7 MPH

The usual route, except that instead of taking the tunnel back, I climbed up McCullough Road.

I pushed myself, again, even on the second climb. It felt great. I'm still having trouble raising my heart rate above 150, especially on flats. Really the only time my heart rate goes that high is when I'm doing a relatively steep climb and I'm pushing myself. Even then, my legs seem to give out before the heavy breathing sets in. Weird.

[IZ] 3 Park Bike, 7/23

Dist: 18.0 miles
Time: 1:42
Avg: 10.6 MPH

The usual route.

Nice morning, sunny, gentle breeze. I took it nice and slow and really enjoyed the ride.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 7/22

Dist: 21.5 miles
Time: 1:40
Avg: 12.9 MPH

The usual route. The usual weather, cold, foggy, windy.

[IZ] Weekly Mileage, 7/20

Weekly Total: 181 miles
Odometer: 968

Next Target: 200 miles

Frustratingly, I still haven't made my 200 mile target. This week I lost 1 1/2 days to a trip to Napa. One day I had to get to work early because I was leaving early, and the next I had to return a rental car in the morning. Probably I could've made the target if I'd biked that extra day.

Although I pushed myself harder than usual, by the end of the week I was tired. It's getting hard to motivate getting up, especially when the mornings here are foggy and chilly. I'm making progress, but the progress is slow and I don't have much free time. I miss that.

This week I'm going to try for 200 miles again, and try pushing myself again. After this week I'm going to start increasing the weight on my bike.

[IZ] Palo Alto Bike, 7/20

Dist: 46.1 miles
Time: 3:46
Avg: 12.2 MPH

This was a new route for me and turned out to be very beautiful. I found it in a book called _San Francisco Peninsula Bike Trails_.

I took the Great Highway down to Skyline Boulevard, followed that up to Daly City and Pacifica, then switched to a paved multi-use trail between the road and a nice wooded area. After a while the trail ended and I switched over to the road and a little ways later the Camp Sawyer Trail begins, another paved trail winding through woods and along the Crystal Springs Reservoir. When this trail ended I rode along the very pretty Canada Road until Woodside and then Palo Alto. I took Caltrain back home.

I took the ride slowly. For one thing, I didn't have anything to eat except two Cliff Bars, and for another I wasn't familiar with the route. Also, the paved multi-use trails had just enough pedestrains to limit my speed to around 15 MPH.

[IZ] Paradise Drive Bike, 7/19

Dist: 48.4 miles
Time: 3:31
Avg: 13.8 MPH

Wall Time: 4:15
Wall Avg: 11.4 MPH

The usual route.

I pushed myself pretty hard on this one, and it shows in the average MPH. By the time I got back to Sausalito, though, I didn't have much push left and I basically struggled up to the bridge and to home. It was a windy day, sometimes head, sometimes tail.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 7/18

Dist: 21.6 miles
Time: 1:38
Avg: 13.2 MPH

The usual route. Very foggy this morning. Rabbits and a herd(?) of deer.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 7/15

Dist: 20.6 miles
Time: 1:34
Avg: 13.1 MPH

The usual route, except instead of going to the office I headed back to the apartment, to join J on her visit to the doctor.

I felt really tired about an hour after the ride, and then all through the rest of the morning and afternoon. I'm just starting to recover now.

[IZ] Bridge Bike, 7/14

Dist: 17.2 miles
Time: 1:16
Avg: 13.6 MPH

Across the bridge, 2/3 of the way to Sausalito, and back under and up to the bridge. I would've done a full headlands bike but I started a bit late.

[IZ] Weekly Mileage, 7/13

Weekly Total: 72 miles
Odometer: 787

Next Target: 200 miles

I took it easy this week and didn't even bike on the weekend. Next week I'm going to 1) push myself harder; and 2) make the 200 mile target.

[IZ] 3 Park Bike, 7/10

Dist: 18.0 miles
Time: 1:32
Avg: 11.7 MPH

The usual route. Legion of Honor, Golden Gate Park, and Presidio.

I was still tired from yesterday's bike and gym class, so I took this one slowly. And now I feel great! Yay!

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 7/9

Dist: 23.3 miles
Time: 1:50
Avg: 12.8 MPH

Max HR: 164

The usual route, with a detour to Rodeo Beach.

Today I pushed myself a little harder. I tried a few times to reach my max heart rate, but the legs gave out before the breathing did every time. I reached the 164 doing the last bit of the climb to the top of the headlands. I suspect my real max is around 170.

[IZ] Weekly Mileage, 7/6

Weekly Total: 190 miles
Odometer: 715

The Mt. Tam ride on Saturday was hard, but I still felt good afterwards. I definitely had energy for another ride on Sunday. But I didn't go. I had only 10 miles to meet the target, but I didn't do it. Why? Because my butt hurt. All the extra training was taking a toll, and I decided to take 2 days off. This is going to totally screw up my mileage for this week, but so be it.

For the coming week, starting tomorrow, I'm going to be focusing on pushing up my heart rate. I'm going to try to keep putting in the miles, but now I'll be pushing myself harder.

Next week I plan to go back to the 200 mile target.

[IZ] Mt. Tam + Fairfax Bike, 7/5

Dist: 58.8 miles
Time: 5:10
Avg: 11.4 MPH

Wall Time: 6:30
Wall Avg: 9.0 MPH

Up to Mt. Tam from Mill Valley, then down the other side past the watershed to Fairfax, Larkspur, Corte Madera, etc.

I started off the ride thinking I was really going to push myself. About 2/3 of the way up Mt. Tam I abandoned that plan in favor of going-really-slow and staying in granny gear. By the time I got back to Sausalito my left calf was doing weird things, and I decided to walk it part-way up to the bridge.

It was a beautiful ride, warm, not too windy (until I got back to the city), lots of other bikers.

[IZ] Paradise Drive Bike, 7/4

Dist: 48.5 miles
Time: 3:48
Avg: 12.8 MPH

Wall Time: 4:35
Wall Avg: 10.6 MPH

The usual route.

I felt pretty tired towards the end, and my legs weren't cooperating. But I still made it up to the bridge without stopping.

[IZ] Bottom Bracket Replacement

Last night I stopped by Sports Basement in the Presidio to have my bottom bracket replaced. It had been lose for a while now, but the past couple of days it made shifting annoying and the chain kept rubbing against the front derailer because of the play as I pedaled.

I arrived at SB, the guy had a quick look and asked if it would be OK if he opened it up. 10 mins later he said he had a replacement part in stock and it would cost $20. Another 10min and I was paid up, $10 labor + $20 parts.

I'm getting to really like the SB bike department. They may sell crappy clothing, but the service is good.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 7/3

Dist: 21.5 miles
Time: 1:45
Avg: 12.3 MPH

The usual route.

Very foggy today, maybe 100 ft. visibility. Dew made my glasses unusable so I took them off.

Biking up the headland was eerie. I couldn't tell how far along I was. I couldn't see anything to my left where the bay would usually be. It was quiet except for the occasional rush of wind and bleats of the fog horns, one long, two short. And, occasionally an enormous shape would congeal from the mist, a big tree or rock outcropping.

On the other side there were lots and lots of rabbits by the road. At least 10, maybe more. Small ones. I scared a group that fled in all directions when I whizzed by. There was a deer. And a flock of quail.

It was a nice ride.

[IZ] Presidio Bike, 7/2

Dist: 9.2 miles
Time: 0:44
Avg: 12.5 MPH

The usual route.

Still feeling sore and tired. I'm going to bring the bike to Sports Basement to have them look at the bottom bracket.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 7/1

Dist: 21.5 miles
Time: 1:56
Avg: 11.1 MPH

The usual route.

Cold, windy, fog so thick I could feel the drops hitting me as I biked. To top it off, there's a lot of play in my bottom bracket. I'm fairly certain it needs replacing.

[IZ] Weekly Mileage, 6/29

Weekly Total: 176 miles
Odometer: 526
Next Target: 200 miles

For some reason I got it into my head that I'd *reached* this week's target on Saturday and could take it easy on Sunday. Not so. Those extra 40 miles on Sunday just got me to the target, and they were not happy miles, either.

I think the only way to make this coming target is to do Marin Headlands bikes every weekday, then do 60+ mile rides on the weekend. Time is becoming an issue.

[IZ] Tiburon Bike, 6/29

Dist: 40.1 miles
Time: 3:15
Avg: 12.3 MPH

The usual route to Tiburon, then back the short way.

[IZ] Paradise Drive Bike, 6/28

Dist: 48.0 miles
Time: 3:43
Avg: 12.9 MPH

The usual route.

When I got home I had a nice, hot bath. Then I was incapacitated for about 2 hours.

[IZ] Presidio Bike, 6/27

Dist: 9.1 miles
Time: 0:43
Avg: 12.7 MPH

The usual route.

[IZ] Bridge Bike, 6/26

Dist: 17.0 miles
Time: 1:18
Avg: 13.1 MPH

Through the Presidio, across the bridge, down the road towards Sausalito then back up to the bridge past the children's museum.

I'm feeling tired and achy. In short, I'm slightly sick.

[IZ] Three Park Bike, 6/25

Dist: 19.0 miles
Time: 1:34
Avg: 12.1 MPH

The usual route.

I was tired and barely pushed myself. People passed me. I think I'm a little sick.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 6/24

Dist: 21.5 miles
Time: 1:49
Avg: 11.8 MPH

The usual route.

My thighs hurt even before I started, maybe because of yesterday's TAC class. I also took my time heading to the tunnel, nice and slow.

[IZ] Presidio Bike, 6/23

Dist: 7.0
Time: 0:31
Avg: 13.5 MPH

I had to take a shortcut to get to work on time.

[IZ] Weekly Mileage, 6/22

Weekly Total: 148.5 miles
Odometer: 350 miles
Target: 175 miles

[IZ] Redwood City Bike, 6/22

Dist: 30.6 miles
Time: 2:21
Avg: 13.0 MPH

Wall Time: 2:50
Wall Avg: 10.8 MPH

I took a route out of the city that involved way too much Bayshore Blvd, a name I now hate. There was the usual ugliness trying to get to Tunnel Ave, a brief respite with golden fields, a smooth road, and a generous tailwind, then more Bayshore, potholes, broken glass, stop signs, stop lights, etc. Maybe it's just the comparison with yesterday's bike in Marin, but commuting North-South by bike along the Caltrain route just *sucks*.

And to cap it off, I got a flat tire about 15min walk away from the party. Oh, yeah, this was all for Lauren's 2nd birthday. She's so adorable.

[IZ] Paradise Drive Bike, 6/21

Dist: 47.5 miles
Time: 3:36
Avg: 13.2 MPH

The usual route.

I was tired near the end and walked my bike part-way back up to the bridge. In particular, the back of my thighs, up near my butt, were hurting. Otherwise I think this may have been one of my best times and now I feel pretty good, if a little low on energy.

[IZ] Presidio Bike, 6/20

Dist: 9.7 miles
Time: 0:45
Avg: 13 MPH

The usual route.

I didn't have time to go to the gym so I went for a jog today instead, about 2.5 miles.

Also, it was hot out.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 6/19

Dist: 23.5 miles
Time: 1:52
Avg: 12.6 MPH

The usual route, with a side trip to Rodeo Beach.

I woke up at 5:30am today, so I had plenty of time to get ready. And I felt good after the ride. Bring it on!

[IZ] Presidio Bike, 6/18

Dist: 9.7 miles
Time: 0:47
Avg: 12.4 MPH

Through the Presidio to the office.

This ride wasn't easy. I'm still sore from Monday's TAC class and yesterday's biking. Ugh.

[IZ] 3 Park Ride, 6/17

Dist: 18.2 miles
Time: 1:25
Avg: 12.8 MPH

Legion of Honor, Golden Gate Park, Presidio, then to the office.

[IZ] Presidio Bike, 6/16

Dist: 9.3 miles
Time: 0:42
Avg: 13.3 MPH

Through the Presidio to the office.

[IZ] Tiburon and Back Bike, 6/15

Dist: 40.3 miles
Time: 3:17
Avg: 12.3 MPH

To Tiburon the usual way, then back the quick way.

I felt pretty tired pushing up Polk coming back. I'm not used to this stuff anymore.

[IZ] Training... Begin!

This week I'm starting my training for the 800 mile trip from Portland to SF I'm planning on doing in late August, early September.

The current plan is to increase my mileage by 25 miles every week until time constraints make that impossible (somewhere between 200-300 miles), then increase weight on the bike. The weekly schedule will look something like:

• Tuesday, Thursday: medium-sized morning rides.
• Saturday, Sunday: longer rides in Marin.
• Monday, Friday: TAC classes as the gym.
• Every day: at least one ride through the Presidio.

Go go go!

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 4/11

Dist: 21.6 miles
Time: 1:41
Avg: 12.8 MPH

The usual route. No pleasant tail-wind today. I really pushed myself getting up the headlands, then went really slowly home.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 4/9

Dist: 21.7 miles
Time: 1:48
Avg: 12.1 MPH

The usual route.

There were groups of protesters along the route, in town for the Olympic torch run. They like to get an early start.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 3/25

Dist: 21.6 miles
Time: 1:39
Avg: 13.1 MPH

The usual route.

There was serious fog on the headlands and that seems to bring out the deer. I saw 3 grazing near the houses by the tunnel.

[IZ] Paradise Drive Bike, 3/22

Dist: 48.1 miles
Time: 3:40
Avg: 13.1 MPH

Wall Time: 4:20
Wall Avg: 11.1 MPH

The usual route. Lots of wind in SF and on Bridgeway.

[IZ] 1/2 Marin Headlands Bike, 3/20

Dist: 18.1 miles
Time: 1:25
Avg: 12.8 MPH

Only 1/2 way up the headlands; I got a late start and ran out of time.

I tried going a slightly different way back: After the bridge, instead of turning off towards the Warming Hut, I went straight and then looped back to Crissy Field. There were *no advantages* to this new route.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 3/18

Dist: 21.7 miles
Time: 1:46
Avg: 12.3 MPH

I really didn't push myself on this one, and yet my time was about what it always is. The tailwind along Crissy Field may have helped.

I saw quail, deer, and a (dead) rabbit up in the headlands.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 3/12

Dist: 21.7 miles
Time: 1:43
Avg: 12.6 MPH

The usual route.

[IZ] 1/2 Marin Headlands Bike, 3/11

Dist: 18 miles
Time: 1:20
Avg: 13.5 MPH

1/2 way up then down the other side, just because I was running late.

We didn't have milk, so I didn't have cereal for breakfast. That was a mistake: I had sharp stomach pains for about 1/3 of the ride.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 3/6

Dist: 21.7 miles
Time: 1:50
Avg: 11.8 MPH

Wall Time: 2:00
Wall Avg: 10.9 MPH

The usual route. I saw a pair of wild turkeys by the side of the road in the headlands.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 3/3

Dist: 21.7 miles
Time: 1:46
Avg: 12.3 MPH

The usual route.

[IZ] Paradise Drive Bike, 3/1

Dist: 46.8 miles
Time: 4:25
Avg: 10.6 MPH


Crissy Field, across the bridge, under the bridge, Sausalito, along the main road to Tiburon, Paradise Drive, Corte Madera, Larkspur, back to Sausality along Bridgeway, under the bridge, over the bridge, Crissy Field to home.

J biked with me today! I'm wiped out, but she's bouncing around the apartment.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 2/28

Dist: 21.7 miles
Time: 1:46
Avg: 12.3 MPH

Presidio, Headlands, Crissy Field, work.

Today I saw deer and a *coyote*!

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 2/26

Dist: 21.7 miles
Time: 1:47
Avg: 12.2 MPH

Presidio, Headlands, Crissy Field, work.

[IZ] In-City 3-Park Bike, 2/25

Dist: 18.2 miles
Time: 1:24
Avg: 13 MPH

Through Golden Gate Park, up past Cliff House, up to Legion of Honor, to Arguello Gate and through the Presidio, along Crissy field to the office.

[IZ] Paradise Drive Bike, 2/9

Dist: about 48 miles
Wall Time: 4:50

Crissy Field to the bridge, Sausalito, Bridgeway, Strawberry (hill, village, manor?), Tiburon, Paradise Drive, Corte Madera, pizza, Bridgeway, bridge, Crissy Field, home.

I'm tired.

My lower back ached for the last 15miles or so. Just a dull sort of ache. Weird.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 2/07

Wall Time: 1:50

Same as last time.

The city was draped in mist; very pretty.

My back hurt this morning so I took some ibuprofin. Feels OK now.

[IZ] Marin Headlands Bike, 2/04

Wall Time: 1:50

Morning ride through the Presidio, across the bridge, up the Headlands, down the other side, through the tunnel, back across the bridge, along Crissy Field, and along Embarcadero to my (new) office.

This is my first ride out of the city in months. The office has a shower. I should be doing a lot more of these.