Things are still depressingly slow on the weight loss front (we’re talking half a pound a week lately, even though I think I’m doing pretty well most days). Boo.
I was not saying boo-urns.
But I do feel pretty proud of my long weekly bike rides. I’m definitely building strength and endurance, maybe even getting a little faster. It’s so hard to gauge my true speed, though – the factor that most seems to impact my time is the type of route I’m taking; of course I fly on bike paths compared to having to stop at every red light when I ride through downtown.
Check out my two most recent trips, courtesy of Señor Garmin and Mademoiselle iPhone Camera:
Saturday, January 12
My home near USC to Redondo Beach and back!
I know I’m lucky when I can go for a ride in mid-January and it looks like this:
On the Marvin Braude bike path in Hermosa Beach.
Saturday, January 19
From Encanto Park in Duarte, along the San Gabriel River Trail and Rio Hondo Bike Path and then back… whew!
It was quite an adventure, taking me up and over the Santa Fe Dam, and then down a couple of great paths past a rifle range, a model airplane flying site and the Los Angeles Flight School, where I saw prop planes taking off. And the scenery was stunning!
This Saturday, I’ll be volunteering in the morning, and then after lunch with my fellow volunteers, I’ll try and ride from downtown LA to Long Beach and back, another 50-miler. The century ride is only 37 days away!
Are you following any sort of particular training plan?
Basically, I’m trying to get a short ride or two during the week, and long rides of increasing distance in on weekends. I started with 30 miles, then 35, then 40, then 50. Plan do do another 50, then 60, 70 and 80 before the big ride. Feeling good so far!
Are you training for something?
Nah. I just started riding again, myself. I need to rebuild my core before I consider training anything again.
Very cool! This is my first century. The fact that they have DOUBLE centuries boggles my mind…
Great rides and I’m very jealous of the weather! A century would be so fun to try sometime. Enjoy it as its low teens here in Iowa with wind chills making it close to zero.
Eek! My friend and I did a night ride… it was in the mid-40s and we were dying. I try to remember how lucky we are and be grateful for it!
I used to love riding Ballona Creek to Redondo on the weekends.
Ballona Creek is always great (except when they close parts of it for construction), but Marvin Braude had places where there was so much sand I had to get off and walk the bike. Frustrating, because the views are so pretty!