Camping and Training

Training has been going well on the weekdays. I rode with Andy on Tuesday and Wednesday this week during the lunch hour. We have been getting in just under 10 miles in just over 1/2 an hour. Wednesday's ride went much better than Tuesday's as I realized I hadn't checked my tire pressure in a week. The bike rolls much better with 120 psi in the tires compared to 80 psi!

I'm starting to get a little nervous about getting my long rides in before Labor Day. We went camping last weekend at Hoffmaster State Park at the last minute. I didn't bring my road bike and I should have. My mountain bike just doesn't cut it any more. We did ride to the Whippy Dip on a 6 mile family ride, but this was definitely not a tempo ride. Plus it was probably counter-productive because their "small" blueberry cobbler cone would be a large anywhere else!

We leave tonight for the 4th of July up at Mitchell State Park. I am planning on doing some training while we're up there, but it's not as much fun riding by myself. It's about 7 1/2 miles around the lake so I'm planning on getting 30 miles in on Friday, maybe 40 on Saturday and then another 20-25 on Sunday. I typically ride early in the morning before Ally and Lisa wake up. Plus there is a lot less traffic as everyone else seems to be smarter than me and are still sleeping as well.

After that, my training is going to be seriously hampered as we leave for China on a mission trip on July 17 until August 3. Won't be doing much riding there! Maybe I'll have to see about doing some jogging or something to keep my stamina up. The heat will play a factor as well as it will be at least in the 90's with high humidity. Have I mentioned that I sweat a lot?

We also have one more camping trip with my parents up at Wilderness State Park during mid-August. This is up in the Mackinaw area so it will give me a feel for what the end of the ride will feel like. I heard from Clint that we have about 40 hills in the first 20 miles on our last day between Boyne City and Mackinaw. Hopefully I don't have to get off and walk any of them!

Labor Day sounds like a long way away but it is truly coming up quick when I look at how much true training time I have. Please pray that God gives me peace about this and that the training I do get in is effective.