Scouting Out Some Challenges

https://ift.tt/RM0ECXD

I’ve decided I need some local challenges to motivate me. One I have done in the past is climbing the Thomas Grade on my bike. This is only 1.5 km, but at an average grade of 9% with a max of 12.5%. I used to be able to do it in about 10 minutes years ago. This is a Strava segment, so I’ll be able to compare my time against my age group (which will be 70 in a few months).

The Thomas Grade is to the left off E. Dunne Ave where the two cars are
.
A lower Slope on the Thomas Grade

Another local challenge is walking up Barnard rd, which is 1.1 km but steeper, with a max grade of over 16%. I don’t have a standard to compare this one against other than my previous times. My best was 11 min 43 seconds a little over a year ago. Yesterday I did it in 13:45, so I have a ways to go to break my record. This is a good example of “training is specific”: I’ve been working out pretty seriously lately, but mostly biking. I need to throw in more hiking and uphill walking and the Barnard challenge will motivate me to do so.

The Start of the Barnard road climb

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Resistance Training With Cardiac Issues

Image
https://ift.tt/wxOr4u3 My last strength workout went really well, I was able to go pretty hard without pushing my heart rate excessively. But afterwards it occurred to me that monitoring heart rate might not be enough. Strength training can cause a temporary spike in blood pressure which is probably not a good idea. I figured there must be a lot of research on this, because there are a lot of older people with cardiac limitations besides mine which is relatively rare (including heart-attack survivors, angina sufferers, and those with valve regurgitation). And they are still encouraged to do strength training to prevent sarcopenia. So I asked Gemini deep research about it and it produced this fascinating report . It points out that a resistance training session, properly performed, is beneficial to the heart because while it temporarily raises blood pressure, there is “a phenomenon known as post-exercise hypotension, where blood pressure remains below pre-exercise resting levels for se...
Read more

Group Ride For Taco Tuesday

Image
https://ift.tt/CX7dOP2 Yesterday my group did a loop first heading to the southeast of Morgan Hill and then turning north to pick up the Coyote Creek trail. We headed North up to Metcalf Park and then south, finishing at Rosy’s in Morgan Hill for lunch. A few of us also added a detour to check out a side route along Basking Ridge road on the way back. This was 40 miles for me, in about 2 1/2 hours, a nice brisk ride. Rosy’s has Taco Tuesday the 1st Tuesday of each month, their special is their delicious Salmon Taco’s which I love. The Coyote Creek Trail on a nice summer day, tailwind on the way out.
Read more

Enjoying Late Fall

Image
https://ift.tt/aS2nC3F Fall in our area is not as spectacular as in other places but it’s nice that it lasts this long. Some trees have lost their leaves by now, but other species, such as maples, are peaking. Yesterday I enjoyed a long ride up into the hills West of town. I rode through Paradise valley then past Chesbro reservoir, and returned to town via Willow Springs road, enjoying the glorious sunshine. Long rides at an easy pace, like this one, feel like they are good for my leaky heart valve, or at least are relaxing. I won’t give them up unless my cardiologist convinces me too, but I’m pretty sure he’ll approve. The hill across Chesbro reservoir, with the dam on the left Looking down Willow Springs road Japanese Maple in our back yard
Read more