erg & mtb

I can't shut down so I figured perhaps some green tea and I'd write for a bit for the "team's" log about the evening. Since school is out I've been trying to find points to sneak off with the rascals and do whatever. Yesterday (16th) late in the day, LR and I did a ride and some fishing. It was laid back and most welcome. We were late for dinner, however. My friends tell me that one day I will blink and they will be out of the house, so enjoy them and spend as much time as possible with them. So, that is what we do.

I keep thinking about that Cervantes quote as well. Thus far the road has been a good time. July and August are going to be full on this year with one ultra each, but the road may be what is remembered most. Last week between rides I rowed a half marathon and really blew it. My tail started hurting big time at about 15000 meters but I stayed with it after cramping and getting up once realizing finishing it would help if I decided to give it another whirl this week. I have not been rowing as one needs to stay focused on the task at hand, namely long mountain bike races. Yesterday's relaxing day and Monday's relaxer as well meant I might have another go at it today.

I decided that I would renew at the UM and row there this time as there is a lively environment and some background music. I cannot row (or mountain bike) with my walkman as the sweat causes the plugs to fall out of my ears. One of their ergs is now gone (hopefully for repair only). I had a much better row today. 1,2,3,4,5,6,...100... 1,2 ,3,4,5,6...200...2500.... I just look out the window at a set spot between the trees in front of the Clark Fork and start counting up with each stroke. Other rowing writers refer to this as "zoning." If my concentration begins to wane, usually thinking of a problem somewhere in my life (we all have them), I try to turn the thought back to something positive like the races ahead or the kid's last events or something positive. Also, I try to think of my stroke and technique to recenter things. It's a lot of counting. The spm was lower, but the watts were better. It was a better effort. I still felt great, ate a gel and headed to the Bowl for the evening's tempo intervals.

21,097 meters
82.22.7
33 spm
217.7 w
1.57.1/500m

When I got up there, I noticed the gate was open and there were three bright yellow school buses in the parking lot. I also noticed the lift was running. I parked outside of the gate, not in the lot, for fear of finding a locked gate when I was finished. As I rode to Second Thought, I noted the owner was loading folks on the lift and they were coming down as well. It was raining and things were wet from the recent rain as well. I passed a lady going up who was walking and said hello when I passed. Coming back down I visited. She had an umbrella and said the accent was Russian. The people were visiting for a "remote sensor" convention (college of forestry I think, ecosystem processes) being sponsored by the UM and were up at the Bowl for the afternoon and evening.

On my second trip up she had turned around (above Sunrise). On my third one up (they were only 15 min each) the others were finally walking down, so rather than turn back down and ride through them, I did the 4th one from below Spartan up to the upper lake. I've been up here a bit recently and every time I am, I think of holding up the ski traffic at the lake with Brittney during the ski season so that the Life Flight hele could land and friends (patrollers) could load the foreign exchange student to be evacuated after hitting the tree at the base of Lavelle. That was an extremely tragic accident. I hope the Beargrass gets cleared soon. Aside ~ Latest read Three Cups of Tea. This work is recommended reading.