The Problem with Training

The problem with training for a huge enterprise is ... that you are in training. You are not yet prepared. Between being out of shape two months ago, and being on the road just over two months from now, I have to get to the start line in good physical condition. One good reason ... half the riders will be less than 1/3 my age.

You learn a lot during training. How best to hydrate. Which muscles are inherently weak. How to monitor a group of riders while on the road. How to eat properly so that you can maintain a good level of calories for the journey, and so that you can recover quickly after a hard day of riding. And, how to keep injuries from slowing you down.

One day, when I first started riding with clip-in pedals (a few months back), I had to come to a quick stop, and before I could unclip, I found my bike and myself on the way to the ground. A bruised ego and a small scrape on the back of my leg where I came into contact with my chain ring. Now I know, if there is a hint of having to stop ahead, I prepare to unclip. Plus, I loosened my clips so that I don't have to tear my foot out of my shoe to get unclipped.

Still, there are small injuries. We stopped for coffee one day, and I noticed blood on my cycling glove. No idea where it came from, until I noticed a gouge on the outside of my wrist.  I must have scraped it on something, but my best guess ... we had, ten minutes earlier, passed the outdoor shooting range near Hanauma Bay and Sandy Beach. Had a ricochet grazed my arm? I certainly hope not. More likely, a car kicked up some loose road debris, or I had swiped my arm against a wall while parking my bike. Occam's Razor says it was the last option, the simplest, but I will never know.

More worrying, the fit of the bicycle. Right now, I'm riding a vintage Bianche Volpe that is showing a bit of rust. Everyone who sees it quotes the old adage, "Steel is real." Maybe so, but before I set out on my cross-country trek, I will be buying a new Trek, one that is lighter than the Bianche, and one that hopefully has a perfect fit for my size and strengths. My Bianche is great, but after two months of training, I've started noticing a good bout of sciatica. I can't keep up with dog when I take her for a walk, and occasionally, I'll get a leg spasm. As long as I'm in the saddle, I'm fine, but I want to be able to walk around the block with my soon-to-arrive grandson when I finish the ride across the USA. A good fit on the new bike should solve the problem, hopefully. I plan to arrive three weeks early so I can pick up the bike at Bikes and Beyond in Astoria, one of our generous sponsors. A good fitting bike is essential, especially when I'll be sitting on it and turning the cranks for 3500 miles or so.

By the way, if you want to be one of our sponsors, either as an individual or as a business entity, you can make a donation to Operation Comfort Warrior online. Tell them I sent you.