New Challenge with Old Friends

Believe it or not, it’s already January 3, 2017.  Many of the New Year’s resolutions so proudly announced and posted in social media have already been broken.  I can only assume that January 1st is Black Friday for weight loss programs and gyms.  If made a resolution and are sticking to it good for you.  If you’ve already broken it, fear not.  Every day is a chance to create a resolution. 

Mont Ventoux from Crillon le Brave.

Personally, I gave up resolutions years ago.  Ironically, it’s the only resolution I’ve ever been able to keep.  However, I do set goals or challenges for myself each year.  In 2016, the big challenge was running 1,000 miles.  This year, I hope to join the Club des Cinglés du Mont Ventoux!

If you follow the Tour de France, you know all about Mont Ventoux.  It is considered one of the hardest climbs in cycling.  While there are three routes to the top, from three different villages, the Tour always follows the route from the village of Bédoin, which is considered the most challenging.  The other two routes are from the villages of Malaucène and Sault.

I’ve been lucky enough to cycle to the summit of Mont Ventoux on three separate occasions (2007, 2009, and 2015) and I’ve always followed the route from Bédoin.  How do you join the Club des Cinglés?  I have to climb Mont Ventoux three times on the three different routes in a single day.  This will be an 85 mile ride with approximately 14,400 feet of climbing, which definitely makes it a worthy selection for this year’s challenge.

Fortunately, I will have a lot of help from some old friends to help me get ready.  It’s time to reacquaint myself with my bikes.  They’ve sat in the garage, patiently waiting while I focused on running, for way too long.  While I actually have 6 bikes, there are three that will play the biggest role.

My primary bike is the white road bike, who I named Thomas after pro cyclist Thomas Voeckler (that’s right, I have names for my bikes). It’s a Specialized Roubaix and I typically log thousands of miles a year in the saddle.  Thomas will be the work horse for the majority of my training since it is the bike I ride the most often.

The second bike is a single speed, which means exactly what it says - no gears.  If you want to go faster then you have to pedal faster.  It is the Specialized Langster, Las Vegas edition so I simply refer to it as the Vegas.  Initially, I purchased the Vegas just for fun and I use it quite frequently for recovery rides. However, it is also a great bike for doing hill repeats to build strength and you can bet there is plenty of those in my future.

The last bike is my Masi cyclocross.  This is the newest bike in the arsenal and it’s mostly used for those cold, damp winter days when the roads are wet.  It has bigger wheels so I feel much safer on it in poor weather conditions.  Since it’s a cross bike, I can also ride on the many gravel roads we have locally, some of which have significant climbs.  Mixing up the climbs as I train will be important so it’s great that the Masi opens a few new routes.

Joining the Club des Cinglés may not be the hardest challenge I’ve attempted but it will be an epic ride and it’s definitely a worthy goal for 2017.  And, with a little help from some old friends, I’m looking forward the all the training adventures ahead as we get ready.

Until then,  

Ciao

2016 - The Year in Review

I was all set to write about my kick-ass goal for 2017 when I realized I haven’t wrapped 2016 yet.  So, here is a little reflection about this crazy year and the adventures that came with it.  

On January 18th, I created the 2016 Cyclo-Runner-Husband Challenge.  The declared goals were to run 1,000 miles, ride 4,500 miles and spend lots of time with Sherry eating great food and drinking vintage wine.  In the end, I only made 2 of the 3 goals but I'm fine with that.

It was the cycling goal that fell by the wayside.  I’ve ridden further that that in a year before so it didn’t feel new.  I did have some great adventures such as climbing Mont Ventoux in France for the third time.  However, as I started the final marathon training I really enjoyed focusing on running and taking a break from the bike.  So, that’s what I did.  My last ride was on September 24th.  I did managed to ride 2,500 miles for the year, which I feel is respectable number.

I can proudly say I conquered the running goal in a big way that included running my first marathon.  A lot of people thought the marathon was the goal but that’s not the case.  The original goal was just to run 1,000 miles.  It wasn’t until March that I decided if I was running that far in a year I might as well try my first marathon.  Perhaps the coolest part was that I went over 1,000 miles for the year during the marathon.  For some reason that just felt appropriate.

How does one go about running a 1,000 miles in a year.  To begin with, that’s less than 20 miles a week so it’s pretty manageable.  I tried to keep things fresh by discovering new routes in the process I discovered numerous trails along the creeks in Santa Rosa where I live.  I also took my running shoes on all my business trips and vacations this year.  In addition to local runs, I also logged runs in Southern California, Las Vegas, Boston, San Francisco, Paris and in numerous villages in the south of France.

To help with motivation, I participated in quite a few events.  Including the marathon, I finished two separate runs in front of the California state capitol building.  I also ran in the Sonoma vineyards, along the Pacific Ocean, and in the Marin Headlands with its gorgeous views of San Francisco.

The other motivation was to run the year with a friend.  We had signed up for the run the year challenge, which is a combined total of 2,016 miles in 366 days (thank you Leap Year).  We absolutely nailed it with a combined total of just under 2,050 miles.  This morning we celebrated by doing the final run of 2016 together.

How did I do on the husband front?  For the real answer you would probably need to ask Sherry.  However, if it is based on fun adventures with food and wine, I can safely say mission accomplished.  The biggest part of this adventure were the 15 days we spent in France as we ate and drank our way through the towns of Avignon, Uzès, Cassis, Aix-en-Provence, Roussillion, Arles, and Paris.

That was my 2016.  All-in-all, it was a pretty damn good year.   It was refreshing to take a break from cycling and focus on running.  I will continue to run and I have my eyes on a couple of half marathons.  However, I can tell you now that in 2017, Lee Alderman - the Cyclist, will be back in full force.  I can’t wait to see where it leads.

Ciao!

My First Marathon

Early on Sunday morning, December 4th, I was at the start line of my first marathon.  The California International Marathon (CIM) to be exact.  There were a lot of circumstances and miles that led me to this point but I will save that for a future post.  This story is about the experience.

I was running with my brother-in-law, Mike.  Well, in reality I was only starting with him since he would finish an hour faster than me.  We decided to make it a weekend get away so both families headed to Folsom on Friday. 

Mike and I at the Expo

On Saturday, we went down to the Expo in Sacramento.  We checked in, picked up our race packets, and then spent time exploring the booths and getting answers to our questions.  We then walked over the finish line to check it out.  Then it was back to Folsom for family time and to relax before the big day.

On race day, the weather was perfect with sunshine and cool temperatures!  I chose to wear my  long-sleeve Let’s Run Paris shirt.  I’ve had so much fun running with this group when I’m in Paris and I knew their spirit would help me succeed.  

At 5:10 a.m. we walked across to street to catch the bus to the start.  Once our bus was full we were off and you could hear the excited chatter of people on their way to a big adventure.  There was a coffee shop at the start so we grabbed a coffee and waited.  At 6:40 a.m., we took off everything that was keeping us warm, shoved it in a bag, and headed for the official start line.

Since my goal was 4:15, I lined up between the 4:08 and 4:23 pace groups.  However, since this was my first marathon I had decided not to join any pace group.  I wanted to run at my own pace based on how I was feeling at the moment.

Mile 23 (thanks Jasin!)

As start time got closer, we started to edge forward and I found myself in front of the 3:58 pace group.  At exactly 7:00 a.m. we were off.  The road was very wide and I reached the official start and was running within 2-minutes.  I quickly found my pace as I settled in for over 4-hours of running.  At the 1 mile mark, the 3:58 pace group went by and I simply let them go.  At 2.5 miles, the 4:00 pace group also passed me. While I let the 4:00 group go by I noticed they weren’t getting too far ahead of me.  In fact, at the 8 mile mark, they were still in sight.  Finally, around 9 miles I saw them for the last time.  

The course was beautiful with gentle rolling hills and thousands of spectators cheering us along.  I got high fives and touched homemade signs saying they would give me power.  I managed to stay at a relaxed pace that allowed me to enjoy the trip.  All-in-all, I was having a great time and was enjoying the experience.

With my medal!!!

At mile 16, my right leg really tightened up, which never happened in training.  Nothing too serious but it did force me to slow down. Still, I wasn’t caught by the 4:08 pace group until just pass mile 21.  I thought about trying to stay with them to the end but decided against it.  Instead I maintained my relaxed pace and crossed the finish line at 4:12:47.  I was thrilled as I happily received my medal telling the world I had completed a marathon.

Overall, it was a great experience and I may do another marathon in the future.  However, not in 2017.  I miss my bikes so next year will be rededicated to cycling and I can’t wait to see what new adventures will come my way.

Ciao!

Who Needs Motivation

What is it about motivation?  Why do we give it so much power?  For many of us, motivation is everything.  But why do we have to feel motivated to accomplish, or at least start, doing something.  And, how can we break the cycle when we’re not motivated?

I’ve been thinking about motivation a lot lately.  It’s been a long, long time since my last post way back on April 11th and the reason for this long absence is motivation.  Or, should I say a lack of motivation.  Creating a post should be very simple.  Get off Facebook, write story, upload story to blog.  What could be easier?

Unlike other authors who sometimes go long periods without writing, I can’t blame writer’s block.  I tend to “write” when I am running or riding so I have developed a ton of stories in my mind.  I’ve written stories in my mind about training to cycle up Mont Ventoux, vacation miles versus hell-bent miles, and a mid-year goal update to name a few.  This issue is not limited to the blog either.  I have ideas to add to my cycling book.  I’m developing a new book on lunch conversations.  I started creating a short story on climbing Mount Evans (in Colorado).  I’m even contemplating a business book on management.

Still, as I finish each run or ride with a mind full of fresh ideas, I cannot seem to find the motivation to sit down and type them into the computer.  Instead, I’m too busy uploading the data from my Garmin, goofing off on Facebook, or reading yet another depressing article about our upcoming presidential election.  So, there’s the issue.  I have the time to write and the story is crafted in my mind.  I’m already on the computer but I’m still not writing because I don’t feel motivated to get started.

A few months ago I was struggling with motivation in a different way.  I set some pretty lofty goals for running and cycling miles this year and I was struggling to find the right balance between them.  Of course, this began to impact my motivation to do either and if I didn’t take action I would miss them both.

Then, a friend posted this image on Facebook.  It was both an epiphany and swift kick in the ass all rolled into one simple message.  It was perfect and the more I read it the more I believed it.  This simple message - fuck motivation - was all I needed to head out the door.  In an ironic twist, this message gave me the motivation to get out and run or ride.  And, on the days I wasn’t motivated, I went anyway.

Could this same simple message help my writing?  Can I develop the habit of sitting down to write even if I don’t feel like it?  I mean, I’ve told myself a thousand times that I need to write more often.  I’ve negotiated, offered incentives and even threatened myself all to no avail.

I know what I need to do.  I need to create a structure and stick with it.  I need to identify times when I should be writing.  If I’m not motivated during those times that’s just too bad.  If I can do that, then maybe, just maybe, I will spend less time goofing off on the computer and more time finishing all these stories that are floating around in my mind.

Now, I’ve told myself I would do this is the past so what makes me think this time will be different.  Well for starters, I put it in writing.

Ciao!

Some Time to Reflect

Since I was a little under the weather this Saturday both literally (it was raining) and figuratively (I was dealing with a nasty cold), it seem like the perfect time reflect on the year of the Cyclo-Runner.  With the first quarter of 2016 “done and dusted” as the British might say, I can say it’s been an interesting three months.  And by interesting, I mean it’s been a blast.

A good day for reflection.

What are the numbers?  Well, how about 301 miles of running and 653 miles on the bike.  While the running miles are great, the cycling miles are a little below what I was hoping for at this point in the year.  To be honest, it’s the weather that’s been the issue and not the additional time spent running.  We’ve had a very wet winter and that always means fewer miles on the bike.

While 653 miles of cycling is not child’s play, it’s not enough to meet my goal of 4,000 miles (I adjusted this down from the original goal of 4,500) this year. In doing the math you could see that I’m on pace to reach just 2,612 miles.  Knowing I'm behind is where my goals have been mentally tough.  I know I’m behind my goal in cycling miles because every time I go into my Strava account it tells me so and it makes want to hit the road.  In fact, thanks to Strava, I know that I am 371 miles behind my goal, which is a little concerning at times.

However, I knew that there would more running and less riding for the first three months.  I knew in advance I would be behind my goal in cycling.  That was the plan.  And, while I would prefer to have a few more cycling miles on the books, I also know that there will be many, many miles of cycling to come now that the days are longer and warmer.  What I need to do now is to not panic and stick with the plan.

The other half of the Cyclo-Runner equation is doing just fine.  At 301 miles I am 46 miles ahead of my goals and on track for 1,204 miles for the year.  I’m pretty sure that won’t happen.  Once again, the plan was to run long in the first part of the year, cycle more through the summer, and finish the year running strong in autumn. 

My growing collection from runs.

In theory that’s how it was going to work.  The reality is I’m enjoying my runs so much that I’m not sure I want to back off any time soon.  I’ve gone for long solo runs on the trails of our local state parks.  I’ve run with friends both old and new.  I set a personal record with my first sub 2-hour half marathon.  My last run was a 10.2-mile race in Sacramento where I turned in a time of 1:26:22 with an average of 8:28 minute miles, which was my fastest long distance run by far.

Another reason the running may stay higher is that I’ve signed up for my first marathon, the California International Marathon on December 4th.  In an effort to stick to my plan, I purposely select one later in the year.  This means I can keep up the cycling miles all summer and still have plenty of time to train.  

There you have it.  As expected, I am ahead of my running goals but behind on cycling.  Still, it’s been a great start to the year and I can’t wait to see what adventures the next three months will bring.  If it’s anything like the first three months this is going to be a great year.

Ciao!