Ok ok, I get it. So I wasn't supposed to work out this weekend… there
could have been an easier way for the forces-that-be to let me know!
First they gave me a false sense of security… 12.5 miles of running and a good karate class started off my weekend.
This
accoomplisment continued into Saturday morning. I biked 2 miles to the
dojo, ran 4.5, did a karate class, biked 2 miles home, and then biked
to and from the dojo again (another 4 miles of riding).
But
then it was over as the winds picked up and I only got to gain
elevation on the bike. Biking home from the dojo the last time, I
planned to do Santiago Canyon (ie hills, a hill, oh another hill, and
then another climb for good measure, some nice descent, and then flat).
But which direction? It was a bit windy, so I picked the direction that
started with climbing and ended with flat, hoping to have the wind at
my back for all the climbing. Well that didn't end up working out too
well, and I had side and diagonal and some head winds for most of the
climb. I was also feeling fairly beat, and many times tempted to cut
the ride short. But I knew I could reach at least 30 or 40 miles, so I
kept going. Clipped something metal in the road. "Crap. I don't want a
flat." I kept an eye on the front, it looked ok, as did the back. Kept
going. During a short downhill before the final climb, I momentarily
picture my full suspension bike. "Uh oh…" And yup, almost to the top
of the final climb my back tire was decidedly flat. "Ok, flat-practice.
But I don't want to have to start on this hill." So I finished the
climb, and stopped to change the flat before the nice descents and
flats that would complete my loop and take me home. Of course a rear
flat, since I have little flat experience. But I did it. Got the tire
off, checked for anything and found nothing still in the tire. Couldn't
even find a hole in the old tube. New tube int, check that it's
correctly in the tire all the way around, CO2 going, and I hear the
flat in the new tube! I'm out of tubes now. Have a patch kit, and one
thing of CO2 left. I'm tired, greasey, and did get in my climbing. So
out comes the cell phone. Luckily my roommate was late leaving for
LA… he came to get me. However, I don't sit still well so told him I
walk towards where he'd be coming from. So I walked. Wheel in one hand
(it was going to have to come off to fit in his car anyways) and bike
in the other, bike shoes off and strapped onto the frame, I walked
barefoot down the canyon. Many nice people pulled over to offer me
rides and make sure I was ok… they get bonus karma points.
Unfortunately, none had road bikes on their cars (lots with mountain)
since road bikers ride that stretch and don't drive it. So no extra
tube for me. Oh, and the road biker (one I remember clearly since
Stephen and I passed him later in the car) who tried very hard to avoid
eye contact and pretended not to see me? Good luck in your next rides
😛
Perhaps those powers are angered at my tubeless mountain
bike and all the flats I cheated them out of during the Baja Cactus
Field?
And Sunday, although fun, somewhat
reinforced that I should have taken a break. 2 of the 3 boys I'm doing
the Explore CA Gold COuntry 24 hour race with in November and I were
going to do a training day. I picked up Ryan at around 7am, and we
headed out to meet Chris in the Santa Monica mountains. After never
seeing the 10 freeway hit the 405, and a driving detour as a result, we
made it and proceeded out on a trek. About a mile in, as we ran through
a shaded, fairly flat area, I missed a rock and slid on it.
Unfortunately, I ended up rolling my ankle. Got up, sorta dusted off,
and after a minute we continued at a walk. Soon it was feeling alright,
and we jogged a bit more. Made it to a pretty waterfall, and proceeded
on the rest of our uphill trek back to the cars and bikes. This made my
foot a bit less happy as it hurt at exactly the spot the slope of the
trail needed me pushing off at. But we made it back to the cars, and it
seemed ok on the bike, so we headed out on a big bike loop. It was
going pretty well, but then my foot started hurting more. I could tell
it was more swollen and tender, and of course, being my left foot, was
the one I put down to stop. Odd though… it hurts less for putting it
down than for picking it up to get back on the bike. But in the end I
made the call to cut that section short, as it was getting painful to
pull up on the pedal and my foot felt like it was getting worse. I had
to keep reminding myself it was a training day, cause I'm not good at
stopping, especially when it means other people are going to stop as
well. Driving a manual home was interesting… and then I spent the
rest of the evening on the couch with RICE (rest, ice, compression, and
elevation). Oh, and sometimes used a bo staff to help me walk about the
apartment. Outside of the pain though, it was an awesome training day.
I'm really looking forward to racing with those guys!
Yet those
forces still didn't really win… I got in a total of 17 miles of
running, 25 miles of road biking, 1 mile of walking with my road bike,
about 5 miles of trekking, and 17 miles of mountain biking. I felt it
was a pretty good weekend overall, and had a lot of fun. And I'm
considering a swim this evening, depending on how the foot feels. As it
is now, I can walk better than last night, but still a bit gimpily.
Perhaps it is time to stop claiming to be somewhat sane… I don't
think most people believe me anyways once they hear my stories.