YTD – 556.24
MTD – 74.46
Monday – 15.69
Tuesday – 17.49
Thursday – 13.36
Friday – 11.41
We had quite a busy week at work with some not so exciting ISO 9000 preparations. We have actually probably set the record for the least amount of preparation possible – only to sail through the audit with no findings. Anyway it made it quite difficult to get my rides updated here.
I started the week with a good basic ride down to the Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center and back. This is pretty flat overall and good for distance and speed practice. It was pretty uneventful but a good ride. The weather in Louisville really has been great and this was no exception.
Tuesday I went for my hill training ride of heading to Edwardsville out Corydon Pike. I was feeling a little saucy and substituted a flat easy ride to Indiana 62 with a hill climb up Valley View/Capt Frank Rd. It is a quick 150 foot climb that was a good warm up for slogging up to Edwardsville. This took me into the Silver Hills neighborhood and down Camp to my destination. I had a solid relatively car-free climb up and return. As I rolled back into town I thought I would mix up my return route and headed to downtown New Albany. I cruised out Market street headed for Vincennes. What is really interesting is that I only had to stop for one traffic light over 15 blocks. I found those downtown streets to be very enjoyable to ride. I crossed the tracks by Tommy Lancaster’s and it felt pretty rough. I looked at the back tire and it seemed OK. Later in the day however I looked over at my bike to see a totally dead rear tire – boo… Oh well, I picked up a tube on the way home and changed it early on Thursday morning when I was back in the office. I guess its probably good to get the practice. Especially in the comfort of the office and not on the side of the road.
By Thursday time was tightening up at work and the burdens of the upcoming audit were becoming more stressful so I didn’t have much time. I probably shouldn’t have left at all…oh well. I have been contemplating an idea of going to Floyds Knobs and going up and down to work on hill climbing and have a short hard workout. This day was a good day for it. I went up Valley View/Capt Frank again and then back down Old Vincennes. This left me in position to climb Cherry Street. I rode to Cherry Steet on my 2nd or 3rd day of bike riding – it brought me to my knees. It is straight up with no switchback relief at all. The first time I tried and only made it up about a third of the way. This time I was determined to climb to the top. After all I’ve been training right? I made it with a maxed out heart rate and deep breathing, I had to take it kind of slow for a bit and then recovery followed. From there it was down Camp and a good stroll back to the office. I definitely liked this ride concept. New Albany appears to be shoring up and repaving Spring Street Hill Road. This will give me a fifth hill to factor in and make this a more complete set-up.
Friday was the day of the big bad external audit. It entails working through lunch and usually runs from 8:30 to 5:05. No time for lunch riding that is for sure. Amazingly we finished at 3:30. As is common we usually work in some going home early after these things are over (the next day usually). I had two choices – head for home or…..go for a quick bike ride. I plotted a quick shot in my mind and went out for a ride to the falls again but in the most direct fashion. It felt great, the sun was warm and my mind was clearing quickly. We had plans for going out to dinner etc and I really was feeling ready for that. It was a great close to the week and put me close to 60 miles.
