Goal 82 miles, in 2 longer rides
Actual Total 87 miles
1st Ride 42 miles
2nd Ride 45 miles
Total Ride 87 miles
We knew that we could only ride 2 days this week, so we chose to match our previous longest ride for the first one, and we just went as far as we could on the second. We kind of had our eyes on the state line, and that pushed us further. We racked more miles than our goal, but the push didn’t get us a view of Chief Ladiga. Which is fine. We don’t really want to exceed goal to any appreciable extent. That’s the point. Increasing by 10% per week is a max goal.
I was stiff and dragging the day after our second ride. We pushed in speed as well as distance. At first I thought it was training related, But, I usually feel good energy from all the endorphins after a ride and I was having trouble walking up the stairs by the end of the next day. 5 miles over goal might have been a bad idea, but it shouldn’t do that to me. So far I hadn’t even had problems with my knees nor the Morton’s neuroma. Those problems were the reason we looked up recommended rate of increase while building miles last go round.
I also got some kind of insect or arachnid bite that I mostly ignored until it made me take notice. Realizing that the way I felt could actually be the bite, I did some research. Best I can tell, it was likely an arachnid. The location on the back of the knee where my cycling knickers were bunched up points to a tick. I probably had a significant allergic reaction to the bite or sting. It was huge, I say, I say HUGE, really swollen and bright, bright red. My grandson looked at it and said “You’re gonna die” (the way a fourteen year old does), and his little sister said “Are you gonna die?” the way a going-on-4-year-old does. I’m glad the bite itself didn’t feel the way it looked, and glad it is behind me so I don’t have to look at it much. I was miserable all over, but that bite, as little as I actually felt it, was something you’d turn your head away from. I do expect to be able to ride next week tough and will make the dreaded trip to the doctor if I’m not. I have nothing against doctors, I used to have one for a father-in-law. I just don’t have healthcare coverage. The American (especially Georgia) healthcare system is pretty tough on gig workers (and so many others).
On top of all of that, trying to move my miles into two days has triggered the endorphine roller coaster. I usually only get that in the winter, or the rainy season, or other times when I have unintended gaps between rides. The two days have been close together instead of well distanced for going on three weeks in a row. Those exercise endorphins feel pretty sweet, but during the dip in the middle, the depression is real. And then, everything is blanketed in the ‘rona paranoia, and having to eliminate it as the possible cause for whatever is happening to my health before going “Whoa look at that! I bet it’s the bite.”
The good part is that after this week, I have no doubts about wanting to continue the project. I suspect if it hadn’t been for the bite, adjusting to an ever changing training schedule would have been the only real challenge. So, our goal is 90 miles. Exceeding (or falling behind) the goal can creep, so we’ll always be adding our 10%s to the previous weeks goal, not the actual miles ridden. See you next week!