One week to go....

Maggie said:

It seems like yesterday when I signed up to ride 25 miles for charity.
Now I am down to one week left... I truly enjoyed the March of Dimes
charity walk....so hopefully this charity "RIDE" will be just as much
fun. I'm hoping to ride every day this week.

I thought I might get alot of riding in this past weekend, but my
daughters Convocation Ceremony at the University went on for hours.
Alot of students earned their Masters this year. Next Sunday is the
ride and Saturday is my daughters engagement party. Hopefully I can
get my ass out of bed in the morning.

I certainly can understand why Lance Armstrong is retiring. I just
want to do a silly 25 mile charity ride....but with family obligations,
there is not alot of time for riding. Every weekend there is another
family obligation. Including taking a plane to Nevada to see my
niece's first holy communion.

I'm not complaining about it, my kids are my life....but between
working 8 - 5, and my family....I have no idea where all of you fit in
so much time for riding. I just can't seem to manage it. What the heck
am I doing wrong?

My parents are elderly, I have a husband who does not share my love of
riding, and three grown children who are all at major crossroads in
their lives. Plus I have my own business I am trying to keep afloat
and classes I am taking to finish a degree. (If the University were
not all all all all uphill, I would ride to school, but its like going
up Mt. Everest for me.)

Anyway, I ride Sunday and Its been very hard trying to get alot of
riding time in. BUT...I've lost 20 lbs. So the training I did do, was
well worth it.....it is certainly helping me.

Any pointers for Sundays charity ride would be appreciated. I just
want to be able to finish it. It is my birthday the day of the ride,
and finishing it, would be a great gift to myself. ;-)

Maggie....Determined and looking for encouragement.

Maggie,
I new to the forum so I don't know what kind of bike you have or how far
you ride each day however, here are a few suggestions.

Don't over-do training this week, take your time. If you can ride 8
miles three times a week you can ride 25 once.

If you have a heart rate monitor use it, keep you heart rate in your
proper zone.

Make sure you have your water bottles with you. Fill one with water and
the other with a diluted re-hydration solution. (1/3 water 2/3 Gatorade).

Above all relax and have fun. It's not a race so if it takes you 2 1/2
hours it's not a problem.

Really 25 miles is a short ride. When I was racing we'd ride 25 miles
is about 1:10 for our hard rides then the next night do a 40 mile ride
in about 3:00.

You'll do fine and I suspect you'll even surprise yourself on how well
you do.

Roy

"Maggie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

It seems like yesterday when I signed up to ride 25 miles for charity.
Now I am down to one week left... I truly enjoyed the March of Dimes
charity walk....so hopefully this charity "RIDE" will be just as much
fun. I'm hoping to ride every day this week.

I thought I might get alot of riding in this past weekend, but my
daughters Convocation Ceremony at the University went on for hours.
Alot of students earned their Masters this year. Next Sunday is the
ride and Saturday is my daughters engagement party. Hopefully I can
get my ass out of bed in the morning.

I certainly can understand why Lance Armstrong is retiring. I just
want to do a silly 25 mile charity ride....but with family obligations,
there is not alot of time for riding. Every weekend there is another
family obligation. Including taking a plane to Nevada to see my
niece's first holy communion.

I'm not complaining about it, my kids are my life....but between
working 8 - 5, and my family....I have no idea where all of you fit in
so much time for riding. I just can't seem to manage it. What the heck
am I doing wrong?

How many potential riding hours do you expend composing and sending messages
to this group?

Quoted message said:

Maggie....Determined and looking for encouragement.

Just stop thinking about it and do it. 25 miles is really no big deal.

Good luck

Roy

araby said:

How many potential riding hours do you expend composing and sending

messages

Quoted message said:

to this group?

Roy

I AM AT WORK.....My boss would notice if I rode my bicycle around the
office. :-) He doesn't notice is I read the newsgroup or compose a
message.
I manage the office.

So these are "ZERO potential riding hours" I am using. I really can't
ride now.

Maggie

"Maggie" wrote: (clip) I certainly can understand why Lance Armstrong is
retiring. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I mean this in a good-natured way, Maggie, so I hope not to offend you, but
that's like me saying, "I understand the question about riding bra-less."

Bruce Freeburger top-posted:

Quoted message said:

Ray,
Do NOT dilute a sport drink. There is an optimum concentration of
6% to 8% carbohydrates. Gatorade is 7%.

The most important time to to feed your muscles is a 30 to 45
minute window that starts about 5 minutes after exercise.

For a moderate bike ride of an hour of less drink water and drink
a recovery drink like Endurox R4 (39 ml of table sugar in 14 ounces of
skim milk is almost identical in carbs/protein).

Your body can not digest calories as fast as you are burning
calories. For rides of several hours, you need to minimize that
deficit. A drink thicker than a sports drink, a cola (Coke &
Pepsi) with the carbonation gone flat for example, will cause cramps.
Also too thick are sport gels IF YOU DON'T DRINK WATER!!! Sport
gels are the carbs and electrolytes of a sport drink with no water.
Many races have water stops that were just that, water only. The gels
are for racers, but can be used on rides where you know you can get
lots of drinking water.

For rides of several hours, riding close but below your lactate
threshold (65% to 75% of MHR is safe) divide your weight in pounds by
3 to get the number of grams per hour of carbs you can digest. If you
weight 150 pounds, the grams would be 50 per hour. Powdered Gatorade
(a good example because it is easy to find in supermarkets and
cheaper than bottled sports drinks) has 15 grams of carbs per 8
ounces. That comes out to 27 ounces of Gatorade every hour. If you
have 28 ounce water bottles you can just fill them a ounce short and
drink 1/2 a water bottle every half hour INCLUDING THE FIRST HOUR.

For a 175 pound rider, the grams are 58 per hour. I use powdered
Powerade (costs less and has 72 grams per quart, still in the 6% to 8%
range). For Gatorade it would be a Zefel 32 ounce bottle every 62
minutes. For Powerade it would be 26 ounces an hour, or a Zefel bottle
every 75 minutes. Using 3 Gatorade 25 ml scoops, instead of 4 Powerade
20 ml scoops for mixing Powerade will slightly weaken it to 70 minutes
per Zefel bottle. I drink half a liter every 36 minutes, which lets me
go 3 1/2 hours on two water bottles.

Cheers,
Bruce

Roy Owen said:

Make sure you have your water bottles with you. Fill one with water
and the other with a diluted re-hydration solution. (1/3 water 2/3
Gatorade).

Maggie, ignore all that. (Well, Ray's advice is at least appropriate; Bruce
thinks you're banging out a double-century in 100-degree heat.)

JUST SHOW UP FOR THE EVENT. The rest (a fun little bike ride with pleasant
people) will take care of itself. (Heck, even if you have any problems like
a flat or mechanical, you'll get all the help you need.) Eat some banana
sections and orange wedges just cuz the others do; I go straight for the
mini M&Ms myself.

HAVE FUN, DAMMIT.

BS :-D

Leo Lichtman said:

"Maggie" wrote: (clip) I certainly can understand why Lance

Armstrong is

Quoted message said:

retiring. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I mean this in a good-natured way, Maggie, so I hope not to offend

you, but

Quoted message said:

that's like me saying, "I understand the question about riding

bra-less."

Why, you think I am not competing in the TdF with Lance? How little
you know. And what is it like having an appendage with a mind of its
own. ;-)

Maggie

Maggie said:

Leo Lichtman said:

"Maggie" wrote: (clip) I certainly can understand why Lance

Armstrong is

Quoted message said:

retiring. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I mean this in a good-natured way, Maggie, so I hope not to offend

you, but

Quoted message said:

that's like me saying, "I understand the question about riding

bra-less."

Why, you think I am not competing in the TdF with Lance? How little
you know. And what is it like having an appendage with a mind of its
own. ;-)

Maggie

Sometimes it's kinda fun others it's just plain embarassing. However
the older I get the "mind of it's own (or any other) it has".

--
Roy Owen

Keep the leather side up,
and the rubber side down.

Bill Sornson said:

Bruce Freeburger top-posted:

Quoted message said:

Ray,
Do NOT dilute a sport drink. There is an optimum concentration of
6% to 8% carbohydrates. Gatorade is 7%.

The most important time to to feed your muscles is a 30 to 45
minute window that starts about 5 minutes after exercise.

For a moderate bike ride of an hour of less drink water and drink
a recovery drink like Endurox R4 (39 ml of table sugar in 14 ounces of
skim milk is almost identical in carbs/protein).

Your body can not digest calories as fast as you are burning
calories. For rides of several hours, you need to minimize that
deficit. A drink thicker than a sports drink, a cola (Coke &
Pepsi) with the carbonation gone flat for example, will cause cramps.
Also too thick are sport gels IF YOU DON'T DRINK WATER!!! Sport
gels are the carbs and electrolytes of a sport drink with no water.
Many races have water stops that were just that, water only. The gels
are for racers, but can be used on rides where you know you can get
lots of drinking water.

For rides of several hours, riding close but below your lactate
threshold (65% to 75% of MHR is safe) divide your weight in pounds by
3 to get the number of grams per hour of carbs you can digest. If you
weight 150 pounds, the grams would be 50 per hour. Powdered Gatorade
(a good example because it is easy to find in supermarkets and
cheaper than bottled sports drinks) has 15 grams of carbs per 8
ounces. That comes out to 27 ounces of Gatorade every hour. If you
have 28 ounce water bottles you can just fill them a ounce short and
drink 1/2 a water bottle every half hour INCLUDING THE FIRST HOUR.

For a 175 pound rider, the grams are 58 per hour. I use powdered
Powerade (costs less and has 72 grams per quart, still in the 6% to 8%
range). For Gatorade it would be a Zefel 32 ounce bottle every 62
minutes. For Powerade it would be 26 ounces an hour, or a Zefel bottle
every 75 minutes. Using 3 Gatorade 25 ml scoops, instead of 4 Powerade
20 ml scoops for mixing Powerade will slightly weaken it to 70 minutes
per Zefel bottle. I drink half a liter every 36 minutes, which lets me
go 3 1/2 hours on two water bottles.

Cheers,
Bruce

Roy Owen said:

Make sure you have your water bottles with you. Fill one with water
and the other with a diluted re-hydration solution. (1/3 water 2/3
Gatorade).

Maggie, ignore all that. (Well, Ray's advice is at least appropriate; Bruce
thinks you're banging out a double-century in 100-degree heat.)

JUST SHOW UP FOR THE EVENT. The rest (a fun little bike ride with pleasant
people) will take care of itself. (Heck, even if you have any problems like
a flat or mechanical, you'll get all the help you need.) Eat some banana
sections and orange wedges just cuz the others do; I go straight for the
mini M&Ms myself.

HAVE FUN, DAMMIT.

BS :-D

Thanks for the support Bill, I was trying to encourage Maggie but I
didn't know how to respond to Bruce so I figured I'd let it go.

Maggie, Bill is right above all have fun.

--
Roy Owen

Keep the leather side up,
and the rubber side down.

Maggie said:

Bill Sornson said:

Maggie, ignore all that. (Well, Ray's advice is at least

appropriate; Bruce

Quoted message said:

thinks you're banging out a double-century in 100-degree heat.)

Do you actually think I understood any of that? This is Maggie your
writing to.....I had no clue. I'm bringing water and a smile.

Maggie

The water and smile should be sufficient but I would throw an energy
bar into a pocket just in case. I've learned from experience never to
head out on a bike ride without one. You can get into trouble even on
short rides if your last meal was hours beforehand.

Have fun Maggie.

Beverly

In article <[email hidden]>,

gds said:

The have fun part is the important line. But be careful about packing
that energy bar. All that extra weight could be a real problem.

If she lashes it to a shoe or a crank it would be
revolving weight (if that makes any difference.)

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Maggie said:

araby said:

How many potential riding hours do you expend composing and sending

messages

Quoted message said:

to this group?

Roy

I AM AT WORK.....My boss would notice if I rode my bicycle around the
office. :-) He doesn't notice is I read the newsgroup or compose a
message.
I manage the office.

So these are "ZERO potential riding hours" I am using. I really can't
ride now.

Maggie

Nice comeback, Maggie! ;-)

~Emily

P.S. You can do the 25 miles. I did my first 25 mile event over a
decade ago, in terrible shape, hadn't trained much at all. Just take it
slow, chat with other riders of your pace (makes the miles go by much
faster), and you'll be smiling at the end! Remember to drink enough and
eat a snack at the rest stop so you don't bonk (and a nice breakfast
beforehand - oatmeal or peanut butter toast, something with substance).
And as others have said, HAVE FUN!

"Tom Keats" wrote: If she lashes it to a shoe or a crank it would be
revolving weight (if that makes any difference.)
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Rotational weight (strictly speaking, mass) has a greater effect than
non-rotational, because if its moment of inertia. Furthermore, a single
rotating energy bar could have a devastating effect on dynamic balance. The
bars should be lashed on in PAIRS, and also eaten pairs. If you ride with a
partner, this could add a charming social aspect to the ride.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Leo Lichtman said:

"Tom Keats" wrote: If she lashes it to a shoe or a crank it would be
revolving weight (if that makes any difference.)
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Rotational weight (strictly speaking, mass) has a greater effect than
non-rotational, because if its moment of inertia.

I said "revolving" because the axis would be external
to the energy bar.

Quoted message said:

Furthermore, a single
rotating energy bar could have a devastating effect on dynamic balance.

D'oh! I shoulda thunk o' that.

Quoted message said:

The
bars should be lashed on in PAIRS, and also eaten pairs. If you ride with a
partner, this could add a charming social aspect to the ride.

Maybe Maggie can figure out a way to dangle a couple
of energy bars on her handlebar (one on each side,
of course.) Then they could also serve as a crude
speedometer.

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Most charity rides- or at least those that are properly organized- have
multiple rest stops. Stop at each one for at least a few minutes. A 25
mile ride with just three rest stops isn't *really* a 25 miler. It's
five 5 milers strung together. Piece of cake, right?

Regards,
Bob Hunt

Leo Lichtman wrote:
You sound like one sexy broad, a couple of decades younger than me. I
wish we could meet, if only for a bike ride.

How old are you 80? And I am one sexy old broad. ;-)

Maggie

Enjoy yourself.

For a 25 mile ride, I would go "low tech."

Some water (I hate Gatorade - makes me sick - I prefer Poweraid, yes
DILUTED) one bottle of water, one of Poweraid, a banana, and some good
chocolate chip cookies.

You will be through the 25 miles before you know it.

BTW, how far is it too work? If you can, ride a bit - perhaps take
your car and bike part of the way and ride the rest of the way, and
even walk your bike up that hill.

Eventually, you will be able to make it up that hill. Is that a
possibility? Not for this weekend, though, but for in the future.

Again, HAVE FUN!.

Colorado Bicycler said:

Enjoy yourself.

I've decided to stop worrying about this charity ride. I have less than
a week.....and if I can't manage it now, I am not going to manage it
Sunday. I am sure the atmosphere at a charity bike ride is basically
the same as the charity walk I accomplished. People are truly nice and
no one is in a race to win. JUST FINISH.

Plus I am wearing my size 10 slacks today. I AM ONE HAPPY OLD BROAD.
I never thought I would be in this size again. I may eventually fit in
my "skinny jeans". They are still hanging in my closet...... I am
beginning to think anything is possible. ;-) Fitting in my skinny
jeans would really be a thrill for me. And I owe it all to a bicycle.

Go figure.

I have to be thin before I buy my mother of the bride dress. I have a
year to do this. This will be a summer of biking. Biking and walking
and going to the gym. FOR SURE!!!

Maggie.

Quoted message said:

Fitting in my skinny jeans would really be a thrill for me.

That would be a thrill for many of us! :o)

"Maggie" wrote: How old are you 80?(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Gosh, no! I'm only 77, but I have the mind and body of a 75 year old, now
that I've had my hip replaced, and I'm back on my bike.