[Sloth] Total Control Racing!

[Bearlee]

I saw you did the full Borah Epic and finished which are both victories in my book. AND you didn’t die for the third victory. With school out now hopefully you’ll have more time for training and will be in a better headspace.

[Novaurora]

All caught up!!  Glad the end of your school year went as well as could be expected.  The more I read your biking posts, the more I think you and my dad would really be friends, ha.  He is also a proud MAMIL.  Congrats on surviving your race and happy late birthday sloth-boy!  Hopefully you get to relax now!!

[annyshay]

Totally not catching up but still here.

[Sloth the Enduring]

On June 7, 2018 at 5:46 PM, Elastigirl said:

that makes me feel strangely challenged to reply to everything you say in gif form. But my Gif powers are very limited

 

Hah.  Gifing people is tiring.  So much searching.

 

On June 7, 2018 at 8:06 PM, Xena said:

 

That part sounds kind of cathartic. Enjoy it!

 

Thanks!  I did.

 

On June 8, 2018 at 3:54 PM, Bearlee said:

School is finally finished! Maybe. Do you have your eighties music song list ready for the race on Saturday?

 

That hadn't occurred to me.  I've mostly been listening to stuff that you can't sing along to and that's what's been rattling around my head.  I tried to make up for it by listening to the Top 40 from 1985, but it was so, so awful, truly dreck.

 

On June 9, 2018 at 8:36 AM, The Most Loathed said:

I think I still have my TRX in my closet, if you want to use it before buying anything of your own, I'd be happy to loan it to you.

 

I don't know if I have my notebook from when I taught TRX classes but my formula would go something like:

 

Circuit 1

• squat thing
• press or front fly
• row or back fly
• squat thing
• tricep extension
• bicep curl

Circuit 2

• hamstring curl
• plank thing or ab thing
• glute bridge
• maybe and plank thing or ab thing

I adjusted the time based on the classes I was teaching but a minute in each is good (exhausting), 5 - 10 seconds to change movements, minute or two break at the bottom of each set. 

Squat thing options

• plain old squat
• jump squat (not a bad idea or your mountain biking)
• pistol squat
• split squat

plank thing or ab thing options (there are tons, these were my go-tos)

• planks - you can do feet or arms in straps
• tick tocks - plank with feet in the straps, swing left to right under control
• pikes
• knee tucks
• mountain climbers
• "atomic" push ups - feet in straps, push up then knee tuck (I've also see pikes instead of knee tucks

Also, you don't have to do only TRX. It's totally ok to do kettlebell swings and TRX squats in the same workout. 

 

Sorry if that was more than you wanted. A bit of a brain dump since I haven't thought about this in a while. 

 

I'm really glad you chimed in.  It's a kind offer, but if your TRX was at my house eventually it would be painted and covered in glitter.  I have a generic clone that seems to work just fine. I'm fine to mix and match workout implements, but swings and mountain biking is too much work for my lower work.  The big goal is to get stronger without beating myself up more. I'll be starting on Wednesday once school is officially over.

 

On June 9, 2018 at 5:32 PM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

I'm glad you survived.

 

Thanks  me too.

 

On June 9, 2018 at 10:49 PM, Bearlee said:

I saw you did the full Borah Epic and finished which are both victories in my book. AND you didn’t die for the third victory. With school out now hopefully you’ll have more time for training and will be in a better headspace.

 

That's how I see it too.

 

On June 10, 2018 at 9:29 AM, Stribs said:

All caught up!!  Glad the end of your school year went as well as could be expected.  The more I read your biking posts, the more I think you and my dad would really be friends, ha.  He is also a proud MAMIL.  Congrats on surviving your race and happy late birthday sloth-boy!  Hopefully you get to relax now!!

 

Your dad sounds like a Hell of a guy.

 

17 hours ago, annyshay said:

Totally not catching up but still here.

 

 

[Sloth the Enduring]

6/9/18 Saturday

 

Borah Epic - 

 

I had to wake up at 4:30 to get their in time to pick up my number (568 of 750) which was especially hard because the last week of school is so exhausting, physically and mentally.  Next year I might stay up there.  I had some time to kill before the race and tried to catch up on my NFing, which I could do since I switch cell carriers.  

 

I wasn't confident about the race.  I didn't send a bag of clean clothes to the finish because I didn't know if I would finish.  I started almost at the very back.  This was a mistake.  Even with my low fitness I was stronger than the couple hundred people ahead of me.  Being behind in a big race means that for the first few hills you end up stopping and waiting for people to walk up it.  I spent at least 10 minutes standing around at the first hill - some guy was shouting out how long we waited until he was told to stop.  I bet it cost me 20 or 30 minutes compared to just being able to ride.

 

The ride went well.  I decided to start slow and ease off later.  Every time I started to go fast I told myself, "Race slow, finish whenever."  (Team Sloth motto.)  The race is almost all rolly hills which I'm not used to being a flatlander, was super twisty*, and was covered in rocks and roots**, I finished the 37 mile race in 4:48 (7.7 mph) [59km at 12.2k/hr].  Certainly not fast.  They cut off timing at 5 hours*.  I was officially the 450th of 475 finishers, 65 of 66 in my age group.  It was a success because I finished, I didn't get pulled for not making the time cut, I was just as strong at the finish as at the start, I rode every hill, and I didn't cramp up and die.  I feel a bit better about my riding - I know I have the endurance, now to build in some power.

 

*As a measure of how twisty, the GPS cuts corners and only measured 32 of 37 miles.

 

**Riding a rigid bike again is going to take some getting used to.  I anticipated it being more uncomfortable (my triceps are trashed today), and that I'd lose some speed and energy on repetitive bumps, but I didn't expect to lose so much control due to the front tire bouncing around.

 

***There was a big group behind me, but they must have pulled for time at the feed zones.

 

Before and after the race I had a few people come up to me because they knew me and I had no idea who they were.  I think I have faulty facial recognition software.  

 

Saturday night was nerd night.  We didn't have a quorum so we played bored games - a D&D board game and Truck Off., which was developed by a friend of TML's who is married to a friend of Mrs. Sloth.  

 

6/10/18 Sunday

 

I slept.  I slept until 11:00 had breakfast and lunch back-to-back, took a nap, drove the kids around, took a nap, drove the kids around, took a nap, had dinner and went to bed early.  I managed to get 1700 steps in, the lowest ever since my phone has been keeping track.

 

Today I have meetings and paper work at school.  I'll do yoga later and if the rain holds off I'll do an easy ride to flush the crud from my legs.

[Elastigirl]

Nice race. Well done.

[Shello]

9 minutes ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

It was a success because I finished, I didn't get pulled for not making the time cut, I was just as strong at the finish as at the start, I rode every hill, and I didn't cramp up and die.  I feel a bit better about my riding - I know I have the endurance, now to build in some power.

Those are some wins.  Congrats! 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Good job on the race, I'm especially happy about no cramps.

[Sloth the Enduring]

2 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Nice race. Well done.

 

Thanks

 

2 hours ago, Shello said:

Those are some wins.  Congrats! 

 

Thanks,  I have to admit, it's a little hard for me to look at success that way instead of an objective win/lose/place.

 

2 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Good job on the race, I'm especially happy about no cramps.

 

Thanks, me too.  I'm now a believer in preloading electrolytes by drinking armpit sweat.  Thanks @EricMN  I also switched from Gatorade to Skratch and I think that helped.

[shaar]

3 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

"Race slow, finish whenever."  (Team Sloth motto.)  

 

This is perfect and I think we need to make some Sloth-brand t-shirts out of this!!

 

Also GRATS on finishing and not dying!

[annyshay]

You did the thing and survived. Huzzah!

[EricMN]

3 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

6/9/18 Saturday

 

Borah Epic - 

...

I finished the 37 mile race in 4:48 (7.7 mph) [59km at 12.2k/hr].  Certainly not fast.  They cut off timing at 5 hours*.  I was officially the 450th of 475 finishers, 65 of 66 in my age group.  It was a success because I finished, I didn't get pulled for not making the time cut, I was just as strong at the finish as at the start, I rode every hill, and I didn't cramp up and die.  I feel a bit better about my riding - I know I have the endurance, now to build in some power.

...

***There was a big group behind me, but they must have pulled for time at the feed zones.

Nicely done, brother. Did y'all get any weather rolling through? I couldn't tell which direction the storm waves were going, or how large they were.

 

1 hour ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

Thanks, me too.  I'm now a believer in preloading electrolytes by drinking armpit sweat.  Thanks @EricMN  I also switched from Gatorade to Skratch and I think that helped.

Smarter people than me came up with this strategy, I just preach from the choir.

[Xena]

11 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

but if your TRX was at my house eventually it would be painted and covered in glitter.

 

This image kind of makes me want my own TRX

 

10 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

The ride went well.  I decided to start slow and ease off later.  Every time I started to go fast I told myself, "Race slow, finish whenever."  (Team Sloth motto.)  The race is almost all rolly hills which I'm not used to being a flatlander, was super twisty*, and was covered in rocks and roots**, I finished the 37 mile race in 4:48 (7.7 mph) [59km at 12.2k/hr].  Certainly not fast.  They cut off timing at 5 hours*.  I was officially the 450th of 475 finishers, 65 of 66 in my age group.  It was a success because I finished, I didn't get pulled for not making the time cut, I was just as strong at the finish as at the start, I rode every hill, and I didn't cramp up and die.  I feel a bit better about my riding - I know I have the endurance, now to build in some power.

 

This sounds pretty awesome all around. You could obviously have ridden it harder (especially if you weren't stuck behind people at the beginning), but that didn't sound like it was the point.

 

10 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

Before and after the race I had a few people come up to me because they knew me and I had no idea who they were.  I think I have faulty facial recognition software.  

 

You are apparently a local celebrity and they are random people.

[The Most Loathed]

20 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

"Race slow, finish whenever."  (Team Sloth motto.)

I'd wear this shirt.

 

20 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

Saturday night was nerd night.  We didn't have a quorum so we played bored games - a D&D board game and Truck Off., which was developed by a friend of TML's who is married to a friend of Mrs. Sloth.  

I had know idea that you guys know Ryan's wife. I have a couple extra copies if you want one. To support him I bought a dealer pack and give them away to bars and stuff if they want them.

[starpuck]

Woo, great job Sloth!    Sounds like the race went well.  You had such worries about it, but you did it- finished it- felt strong at the beginning and the end- and no cramps.   Uh, sounds pretty good to me!

 

Just out of curiosity, do people do bike races that are totally casual about it?  Like, haul their Target mountain bike to the starting line, wearing cargo shorts and a tank top, pedal pedal pedal finish?    The running crowds get a lot of folks doing it just for the social aspect, especially the themed runs and stuff, but biking seems like it would only draw the serious types.     

 

So is there a 'Lycra Required' element to bike races?

 

[Sloth the Enduring]

19 hours ago, shaar said:

 

This is perfect and I think we need to make some Sloth-brand t-shirts out of this!!

 

Also GRATS on finishing and not dying!

 

Thanks.  I'm pretty sure I stole that motto off of aT shirt.

 

18 hours ago, annyshay said:

You did the thing and survived. Huzzah!

 

 Thanks.

 

18 hours ago, EricMN said:

Nicely done, brother. Did y'all get any weather rolling through? I couldn't tell which direction the storm waves were going, or how large they were.

 

Smarter people than me came up with this strategy, I just preach from the choir.

 

I know we're the same age, but always feel wiser than me.  No, we had perfect racing weather - low 70s, mostly cloudy, a bit breezy.  I was surprised to come home and see that everything was soaking.

 

11 hours ago, Xena said:

 

This image kind of makes me want my own TRX

 

 

This sounds pretty awesome all around. You could obviously have ridden it harder (especially if you weren't stuck behind people at the beginning), but that didn't sound like it was the point.

 

 

You are apparently a local celebrity and they are random people.

 

Hah.  I think I've just forgotten all of the back-in-the-day people.  Slothgirl does this thing where she'll play with kids who obviously like her and then think she doesn't have any friends; watching her I wonder if I've been doing that all my life too.

 

You're right, the point was an easy race with a guaranteed finish that could set me up for a good summer.

 

2 hours ago, The Most Loathed said:

I'd wear this shirt.

 

I had know idea that you guys know Ryan's wife. I have a couple extra copies if you want one. To support him I bought a dealer pack and give them away to bars and stuff if they want them.

 

You know, Eric (our DM) would love his own copy; he's a big game nerd like you, but they are pretty careful with their money.  Thanks.  

 

I worked with her just before they had kids, but we I moved on before I'd call us friends.  Minneapolis is a giant small town; everyone is only a degree or two away from anyone else, at least within age bands.

 

11 minutes ago, Starpuck said:

Woo, great job Sloth!    Sounds like the race went well.  You had such worries about it, but you did it- finished it- felt strong at the beginning and the end- and no cramps.   Uh, sounds pretty good to me!

 

Just out of curiosity, do people do bike races that are totally casual about it?  Like, haul their Target mountain bike to the starting line, wearing cargo shorts and a tank top, pedal pedal pedal finish?    The running crowds get a lot of folks doing it just for the social aspect, especially the themed runs and stuff, but biking seems like it would only draw the serious types.     

 

So is there a 'Lycra Required' element to bike races?

 

 

Thanks, it was slow, but really good.

 

If it's officially called a race everyone is in lycra or baggie mountain bike clothes.  When you get into charity rides or other organized group rides you'll see more enthusiast riders.  Here's a random example from near Chicago Swedish Days Ride.  These are more like fun runs, although some people take them too seriously. They're nice because they have rest stops with food and places to sit and have a big social aspect.  There are also bike clubs that cater to non-racers and are pretty social.  They usually have weekly organized rides that are sorted by speed.  Cargo shorts would fit into their "A" rides - usually 10 mph and under average speed.

 

I didn't click the link because I'm at work, but if you don't like lycra, Chicago has it's annual naked bike ride coming up.

 

I'd get very excited if you started doing organized rides.

[Wild Wolf]

2 hours ago, The Most Loathed said:

I'd wear this shirt.

 

Seconded.

 

 

2 hours ago, The Most Loathed said:

I had know idea that you guys know Ryan's wife

 

She sounds like a winner to me  (quoted for mentioning "Ryan's wife")

 

9 minutes ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

but if you don't like lycra, Chicago has it's annual naked bike ride coming up

 

This sounds like something I would want to do.

 

Awesome job on the race, brother. Even at "low level fitness" your still a beast!

 

Wolf

[deftona]

22 minutes ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

Chicago has it's annual naked bike ride coming up.

 

Saddles are uncomfortable enough at the best of times, I can only imagine the extra issues this would bring. 

[Raxie]

2 hours ago, The Most Loathed said:

23 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

"Race slow, finish whenever."  (Team Sloth motto.)

I'd wear this shirt.

 

 

Me too!!

[jstanlick]

23 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

It was a success because I finished, I didn't get pulled for not making the time cut, I was just as strong at the finish as at the start, I rode every hill, and I didn't cramp up and die.  I feel a bit better about my riding - I know I have the endurance, now to build in some power.

I know its easier said than done, but try to focus on this ^^^^^

 

20 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

Thanks,  I have to admit, it's a little hard for me to look at success that way instead of an objective win/lose/place.

And not this ^^^^^

 

Those numbers for time and place seem so nice and objective as a way of validating where you're at. But, that validation is compared to other people. Other people are at a different point in their journey. At your point in your journey, you've got the endurance and are working on improving your power. Not trying to get preachy, just trying to help your headspace stay in a good place.

[Bearlee]

In honor of completing the Borah Epic I did a victory dance for you. Plus inspirational song for your next race.

 

 

[starpuck]

Following you has made me think; gee- I have done tons of races and I HATE running.  I LOVE bike riding, but I don't do anything beyond little outings.   I'm just a bit overwhelmed by the sudden idea and feeling like it's out of my range.  Like where to start?  Will I feel horribly out of place because I am a leisure rider, sporting compression shorts, a tank top and a mountain bike?  >.>   That link is awesome!  I know the Swedish Days stuff out in Kane county, that's just next door to me.   Might be a good first foray into things!!!!!!

Here's my current biking schtick- maybe you can gauge if this is a thing that might be a fun fit for me?
 

Spoiler

First ride on my new Fuji last year.  About 20 miles, half paved, half gravel.     Last weeks 20 mile leisure ride, all paved.

 

 

The "Pretenders" pic from our road trip to TRNP for "biking".                             We only managed 8 miles TOTAL because, omg, "Hills".  (They wrecked us.)

 

 

 

[DJtrippyT]

I'm not saying that we should get vans like this, but... we should totally get vans like this.

 

https://www.rei.com/blog/cycle/how-van-life-gives-this-national-champion-an-edge-over-the-competition

 

mine needs a champagne fridge though

[Sloth the Enduring]

3 hours ago, Wolfpool said:

 

Seconded.

 

 

 

She sounds like a winner to me  (quoted for mentioning "Ryan's wife")

 

 

This sounds like something I would want to do.

 

Awesome job on the race, brother. Even at "low level fitness" your still a beast!

 

Wolf

 

haha.  Thanks.

 

3 hours ago, deftona said:

 

Saddles are uncomfortable enough at the best of times, I can only imagine the extra issues this would bring. 

 

It seems kind of unhygienic.  That being said, the only thing keeping me from doing the local naked ride is the morality clause in my contract.

 

3 hours ago, jstanlick said:

I know its easier said than done, but try to focus on this ^^^^^

 

And not this ^^^^^

 

Those numbers for time and place seem so nice and objective as a way of validating where you're at. But, that validation is compared to other people. Other people are at a different point in their journey. At your point in your journey, you've got the endurance and are working on improving your power. Not trying to get preachy, just trying to help your headspace stay in a good place.

 

You're right of course, but it really is hard when I was faster just a couple of years ago.

 

2 hours ago, Bearlee said:

In honor of completing the Borah Epic I did a victory dance for you. Plus inspirational song for your next race.

 

 

 

This post needs a video.

 

1 hour ago, Starpuck said:

Following you has made me think; gee- I have done tons of races and I HATE running.  I LOVE bike riding, but I don't do anything beyond little outings.   I'm just a bit overwhelmed by the sudden idea and feeling like it's out of my range.  Like where to start?  Will I feel horribly out of place because I am a leisure rider, sporting compression shorts, a tank top and a mountain bike?  >.>   That link is awesome!  I know the Swedish Days stuff out in Kane county, that's just next door to me.   Might be a good first foray into things!!!!!!

Here's my current biking schtick- maybe you can gauge if this is a thing that might be a fun fit for me?
 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

First ride on my new Fuji last year.  About 20 miles, half paved, half gravel.     Last weeks 20 mile leisure ride, all paved.

 

 

The "Pretenders" pic from our road trip to TRNP for "biking".                             We only managed 8 miles TOTAL because, omg, "Hills".  (They wrecked us.)

 

 

 

 

You can totally do this.  If you can handle 20 miles with half on gravel you are totally ready for an organized group ride.  You can probably find a 20 or 25 mile ride and the longer ones will have a rest stop every 15 or 20 miles.  Also, your bike looks pretty nice, its a few steps above a Target bike.  

 

There has to be a central place to find local rides, Chicago has a pretty good biking community.  The level of lycra will vary, but I don't think you'll be out of place with the gear you have.

 

I'm excited already.  I can't wait until you do this.

 

@DJTrippy might have some solid advice...

 

35 minutes ago, DJtrippyT said:

I'm not saying that we should get vans like this, but... we should totally get vans like this.

 

https://www.rei.com/blog/cycle/how-van-life-gives-this-national-champion-an-edge-over-the-competition

 

mine needs a champagne fridge though

 

[Sylvaa]

5 minutes ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

3 hours ago, deftona said:

 

Saddles are uncomfortable enough at the best of times, I can only imagine the extra issues this would bring. 

 

It seems kind of unhygienic.  That being said, the only thing keeping me from doing the local naked ride is the morality clause in my contract.

 

How many years until you retire?