Awesome

The results of this year's RAIN ride are now posted at the ride's official site. Although those who don't finish the ride generally don't have their names listed on the results spreadsheets, they made a special entry (by my request) this year... check it out.

So now that RAIN is out...

I've kinda got a new idea, that looks a little something like this.

225/17 mph = 13.23 hours

7 am to 8 pm... hmmm.

Before the disaster

someone took video of the RAIN ride start.



that's alot of bikes.

if you pause it at 2:31 you can see me, just barely, a flash of white on my jersey, on the far side of the road. EXCITING.

I guess I'll live.

New doctor, my old doctor took a new position at a hospital. Talked about running, listened to my breathing, gave me a tetnus shot, sent me out the door.

I feel underwhelmed.

RAIN RIDE 2007

I've been having a pretty rough couple of months on the bike. Although my average speed has been higher this year than ever, I've had plenty of problems - 6 flats in the last two months (most guys get maybe one a year), a noisy wheel... but going into the RAIN ride I felt like I had everything sorted. I had installed new tubes and tires, the bike was shifting nicely, and I finally had gotten over the burnout that had started to creep into my training rides.

So when my riding partner, Dave, started to worry about this year's ride, I tried to calm him down; we were going to be riding with people that were a bit faster than us, but I felt like we had the training in to stick with the pack. And we did out of the gate - from the start we were moving at 23+, but closer to 25 mph. We rode through Terre Haute with the police escort, and as we made the turn onto Route 40 the pack split up a bit, but the lead pack was within our sights.

We had caught on with a group of cyclists from Nebo Ridge bike shop - about ten of us in a double paceline, me on the back at about mile twelve.... and then the deer ran across the road and collided with my bicycle, breaking my front wheel, twisting my stem, throwing my bicycle across a lane, throwing me onto the pavement, cracking my helmet, and leaving me with road rash across my back, and scabs on my wrist, knee and ankle.

I couldn't really tell you how it happened... I heard someone call out "Deer!", I saw the deer and the
next thing I knew I was trying to pull myself out of the traffic lane. Someone picked up my bike and pulled it to the side of the road, and my riding partners Dave and Dale stopped to make sure I was ok. I told them to go on, thinking that I was hurting but ok, not realizing the extent of the damage... as I gathered my wits I considered trying to get back onto the bike, then realized my wheel was destroyed. I called my support vehicle and sat on the side of the road watching the remaining 80% of the pack go by.

I can't help but wonder what might have been - we were definitely on course for a record time - and although Dave abandoned when he met me at near my house (which is right on the route) at mile 90 due to frustration (and loss of his riding partner), Dale pushed on and finished in 8 hours even - a speed I'd like to think I could have maintained with him.

I guess we'll find out next year.

My bike is now at the bike shop, with a tore up new Specialized Toupe seat (which I bought a month ago), a taco'ed front wheel... something's wrong with the back wheel as well... all in all I'm guessing it's going to be a $500 bill.

In addition my back is stiff, my foot is swollen, I'm scabby... but in good enough spirits anyway. Of course I'm frustrated that I put in all the training and then had the results taken away from me. And I'm pissed that deer don't generally have insurance. I'm anxious to see what the doctor will find.

Oh well...

And there he died

This summer has been particularly hectic due to events beyond my control: Well, they're completely controllable, I suppose, but now it's too late. Last year I was waist deep in bike mileage at this time, and well prepared for the Ride Across Indiana. This year... well, not so much.

Ramping up for the ride is what guarantees that it'll go well. Last year I worked off a schedule that ramped up the weekend mileage gradually, and in the two weeks previous to the ride I put 90 mile rides on both weekends. This year I've attempted to ramp up to those 90 mile rides, but somehow I keep finding myself quitting at mile 50 or so. Well, I guess I did 70 last weekend... but in any case, I'm not really feeling it this year.

That would be fine except I've booked up my next three weekends. This coming weekend I'll be in Cincinnati for a National concert/Red game. The following weekend I'll be at a brewfest in Indianapolis (which is sure to put me out of commission for both Saturday and Sunday), and the week following I'll be back in St. Louis for the wedding to end all weddings.

That leaves the week before RAIN to get where I need to be. Or I can put in a ton of miles after work... which is what I'll end up doing. It just sorta sucks because I end up spending the hours of 6-9 on a bike. And wait, I'm supposed to enjoy this.

And I do, but not as much this year.

here we go again

I've typed out a schedule for my life again...

RAIN SCHEDULE – Strength to Spare
    Week       Mon.   Tues.    Wed.   Thurs.   Fri.    Sat.    Sun.   Weekly
              Easy*   Pace*   Brisk*   Off    Pace*   Pace*   Pace*  Mileage
5/7 - 5/13      16     19.2    22.4    Off     19.2     64      24    164.8
5/14 - 5/20     16     20.8     24     Off     20.8    70.4    27.2   179.2
5/21 - 5/27     16      24      24     Off      24     76.8    28.8   193.6
5/28 - 6/3     17.6    25.6    30.4    Off     25.6    84.8     32     216
6/4 - 6/10     19.2    28.8     32     Off     28.8    94.4    35.2   238.4
6/11 - 6/17    20.8    30.4    36.8    Off     30.4   102.4    38.4   259.2
6/18 - 6/24    22.4     32      40     Off      32    113.6    43.2   283.2
6/25 - 7/1     25.6     32     43.2    Off      32     120     43.2    296
7/2 - 7/8      27.2     32      48     Off      32     120     51.2   310.4
RAIN WEEK (7/  30.4     32      48              16    8 Easy   160    294.4
                                                                      2435.2

RAIN WEEK is always a little off schedule due to the ride being on a Saturday.

This is the same schedule (adapted from here) that I worked off of training for last year's RAIN ride where I finished 216th of 855 finishing riders (1200 or so registered) (links to an excel document).

This year the schedule sure seems like a lot more work. I'm sure Gina, who is planning on her first ride this year, is thrilled.

The schedule worked really well though, even in last year's 90-some degree weather, so I'll stick with it. Maybe by then I'll have a new bike. Because that's just what I need.

I wondered how I'd feel about riding RAIN again this year, but just seeing that registration has opened has me pretty excited. I guess that means I enjoyed myself. This year I'm considering finishing and then adding on another 40 miles, just to get my double century ride badge... it's not very often that you're that close to 200 miles, so it might make sense to attempt.

Now if I could just get more of my friends involved...

* * * * *

and that's how you go from 235 to 183

Man I'm excited.