So the other day as El Cap, Triguy, and I rode out to the fields near Oak Knoll, I pondered the 20 pounds I’ve lost since August. I could feel the difference even on small hills. This got me thinking: What would a major climb feel like without 20 pounds? Will I remember the difference? How much is 20 pounds anyway? This feeling lighter was a feeling I wanted to hold onto for longer. What I needed was to place a milestone in my life that would separate the before from the after . . . for good!
After all, 20 pounds is significant. To give a little perspective, twenty pounds is equal to an expensive road bike, which is the same as about two and a half gallons of milk, or four and a half 2-liter bottles of soda pop, or maybe an average bobcat. Let's see. What else weighs 20 pounds?
As TriGuy, El Cap and I pondered all the ways to represent 20 pounds, a plan began to germinate. I needed to carry the extra 20 pounds I lost up a hill, just so Icould feel the pull of gravity, to feel the burden I carried, and then, at the crest of the hill, I would toss that 20 pounds off at the top of the hill. It would be a statement of defiance that says “never again!”
I coined this act, “tossing the twenty.” I haven't yet tossed it, but I will. I just need to pick the right weight or object. My mother suggested 20 pounds of butter. I might go for lard. If not that, maybe river rocks — something that I don’t have to bring back with me.
What do you think? What should I toss? I’ll consider any suggestion.
In my early days of riding, I was very naive about all that I needed to bring on a bike ride. I would just grab my bike and go, not even really picking a route ahead of time. But very quickly, I learned…sadly, I made each mistake consecutively, not concurrently.
First mistake: didn’t bring a spare tube; Result: had to walk my bike in (3 miles) wearing down my road cleats.
Lesson #1: Bring a spare tube, and a friend’s phone number
Second mistake: brought the spare tube, but neglected to bring the pump. Fortunately, I brought the friend’s number.
Lesson #2: Bring a bike pump (I prefer the CO2 kind, since they are less of a hassle and can pump up the tire to a higher pressure than a hand pump. Plus, who has the extra energy and time to use a handpump on a ride?).
Third mistake: brought TWO spare tubes upon the advice of a friend (and used them both on the same ride) AND the pump, but bent the Presta valve pin…it broke when I tried to bend it back, so the second tube was worthless.
Lesson#3: Don’t be in such a rush to get back on the road that you make the problem worse. (Side lesson: Another reason that CO2 pumps are great is that there is little risk in bending valve pins.)
Fourth mistake: didn’t stay with the group. I was riding up Mary’s Peak near Corvallis with the OSU Triathlon club. Mary’s Peak is in the boon-docks and a rough climb, but is a rewarding ride. I was new and was falling back. Suddenly I started to get a flat, and it was during the worst mile of the climb. I couldn’t just stop because everyone was so far ahead and most likely would wait at the top for me (another 8 miles) before heading back down. So I had to pedal as hard as I could (I was already exhausted) up the worse mile stretch ON A FLAT just to get within yelling distance to the next guy. When I stopped, I literally had so much sweat pouring off my face that a garden hose to my head wouldn’t have poured any more (no joke).
Lesson #4 Stay with at least one other rider.
Bills and coins. In my early days of riding I brought coins for the pay phones (which I regularly used, as my previous stories show). Now I bring my cell phone. But even if you have a cell phone, their batteries can die, so bring coins anyway. Bills are more for times that I ran into after the above mentioned Mary’s Peak ride: I changed my flat and decided to head back down without the group, since I didn’t trust my spare and I was exhausted. Sure enough, my spare started to go (afterwards I found out that my rim had a rough spot and that is why I was going through so many tubes). I made it into the neighboring town of Philomath, and called a friend (another long and funny story that rescue turned out to be). I used the bills to BUY FOOD at a local mini mart, since I had used all of mine up. Bills are also good for buying replacement parts if something breaks during a ride.
Lesson #5: Bring coins and bills (Remember, pay phones don’t take plastic or bills, so I emphasize COINS).
You are on a workout, silly! Gotta fuel that somehow. Plus, with cycling you can easily find yourself in the middle of nowhere, so in comes survival wisdom:
Lesson #6: Bring food. (See more under Munchies)
Lesson #7: Bring water, or should I say water bottles. On some rides I have quickly drained my waterbottles, be it a tough hill, hot day, or a long time out. Every gas station mini mart I have stopped at has been happy to fill up my water bottles, and I even hit up a Starbucks for some once. But you gotta have the bottle to fill up!
And while I am at it, I might as well state the obvious:
Lesson #8: BRING REPAIR TOOLS. This includes allen wrenches, patch kit, and tire levers for changing a flat (a must have!).
Lesson #9: Like your mother always told you, let someone know where you are going. Then, if you don’t come back within a reasonable amount of time, they will have some idea where to start looking for you. Cycling is so much different than running…if you get lost running, there is just a small area where you most likely are to be found. With cycling, I can get 60 miles out in 3 hours, which comes to about 11,300 square miles to look!
Bringing food on a ride is muy importanto!
Think about this: your brain burns only sugar…not protein, not fat. And when you are on a ride, pounding up that hill or even just flying the flats, you are also burning up sugar (along with protein and fat). But these two burns happening together can create a bit of a problem:
If you use up your blood sugar during the workout, what do you use when making those valuable decisions such as “Can I cross the intersection before that semi that is barreling toward me?” or “Is there a car behind me, or can I pull out into the lane?” or “Now how do I change a flat again?” There have been times after I have ridden hard for a couple hours, that I have made some VERY POOR traffic decisions because I wasn’t taking in any food during my ride.
So now my rule of thumb is to eat a candy bar or Clif bar or goo pack at least every hour. If I am riding hard or doing hills, I might eat more. My favorites are Nutrageous, or Black Cherry Almond Clif Bars. If taking in a goo (my favorite being Raspberry HammerGel, since it is really thin and the flavor is mild), don’t forget to follow it will a good dose of water.
Eating when cycling is not the same as eating before a run: you will not get side aches or cramps from eating while biking. But one thing you will have is a much better ride, since you will have plenty of calories flowing through your system to do the best workout possible.