Prospect Park Weekday Morning Training

Nov 25, 2014 at 01:39 PM

After a hiatus (let's call it 6 months) due to the birthing of a baby, I'm finally out on my bike again. Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming physical reasons for the hiatus (my wife definitely gets all the credit in that department), but still lots of sleepless nights and just general cooing and doting kept me from heading out.
But been out a couple times in the past week just easing into it again, including this morning which was a ridiculous 63 deg at 6am. Hopefully I can ride enough through the winter to not be a total embarrassment come next season.
All that is to say, I'm in for a Thanksgiving ride if the timing can work. What time were you guys planning on meeting?

Bruce van-Schalkwyk

Nov 25, 2014 at 03:32 PM

Must have missed you this morning on my brief laps. It was a tough call on the temps, 60 degrees, but a November 60 with zero sun. And I rode with a fender because it was still wet out there.

Jeff C. cranked passed me this morning, too.

Nice to have teammates in the park.

Joshua Edwards

Nov 25, 2014 at 03:49 PM

"Jeff C. cranked passed me this morning, too."

Well, good to know that hasn't changed while I was gone.

Looking forward to (metaphorically) running into you soon Bruce!

Jules

Nov 25, 2014 at 07:33 PM

Not exactly a "morning" session but I did see the final lap of the annual CENTURY that is ridden in the park; only two survivors.

Also, I'm like a dog with a bone trying to ride those stairs with speed. Having fun getting better but ZOINK! pinch flatted on a random curb whilst playing on the way home.

#apparentlythepriceofgreatnessisasingletube

Mark Taylor

Nov 26, 2014 at 02:01 PM

I was hoping to get in a few social laps Thursday morning , not to early ,not to late

takers?

jim_nelson

Nov 26, 2014 at 02:21 PM

Possibly a Thanksgiving morning ride in the park for me but it depends on what ends up on the ground after the temp drops this evening. 10ish?

Mark Taylor

Nov 26, 2014 at 03:07 PM

10ish works , ice cancels

Kayt Mathers

Nov 26, 2014 at 03:48 PM

As someone who found this out the hard way last year: there is a running race taking place in PP tomorrow morning. I know the runners start at 9:00 and should be done around 10:30. Then it's the walking masses who travel 20 abreast. Last year I think I gave up around 11 or noon, and I cursed the "Turkey Trot" for days. (turkeys don't trot, they waddle... sloppy alliteration)

Jules

Nov 26, 2014 at 04:19 PM

Kayt Mathers said:

As someone who found this out the hard way last year: there is a running race taking place in PP tomorrow morning. I know the runners start at 9:00 and should be done around 10:30. Then it's the walking masses who travel 20 abreast. Last year I think I gave up around 11 or noon, and I cursed the "Turkey Trot" for days. (turkeys don't trot, they waddle... sloppy alliteration)

Yikes. I think I remember that...

Mark Taylor

Nov 26, 2014 at 04:20 PM

Oh Bollocks!

neilx

Nov 26, 2014 at 06:33 PM

Kayt=Truthful Buzz Killer : (

Rick Perner

Nov 26, 2014 at 07:28 PM

I'm gonna try and beat the Turkey Trotters. I'll be there at 650 and am going to ride for about 90 minutes at a pace that's a notch or two above leisurely

Rick Perner

Nov 27, 2014 at 12:19 AM

I'm changing my plans...ice avoidance. I thought the precipitation was supposed to end earlier. I'm going to shoot for 1:00 instead

Joshua Edwards

Nov 27, 2014 at 12:34 AM

I'm in for 1:00 at PP. My thanksgiving plans aren't until 4:00 so that timing works well for me.

Rick Perner

Nov 27, 2014 at 05:38 PM

Running a little late. Be there at 1:10

Joshua Edwards

Nov 27, 2014 at 05:58 PM

Yep. See you here. At 1:10

Ingrid Spielman

Dec 18, 2014 at 04:09 AM

lol anyone in the park anymore these days?

eloy

Dec 18, 2014 at 06:03 PM

Ingrid Spielman said:

lol anyone in the park anymore these days?

Missed this note... rode 25 miles this morning.

I'll post when I'm riding again, probably more around January and February. When company will help stay motivated.

Bruce van-Schalkwyk

Dec 18, 2014 at 06:49 PM

Super windy this morning. Not that cold, but enough wind so I couldn't use my key when I got home, my fingers were just not working. I'm usually out on Tuesday and Thursday before 6.

My favorite of the early morning pitch-black rides has to be runners dressed in all black, running in, or crossing over the bike lane without looking.

There's a regular runner who has lights blinking on his calves. Not sure if it's part of the tights, or things that are strapped on, but it makes a huge difference in being able to see him. I should pull over next time and let him know the things really work.

My process for unmotivating mornings - I swing my legs out of bed and it's so cold, I put on my fleece bib tights. I set them up the night before so I can see the warm fleece inside. And then, as long as I've got the tights on, I might as well try the base layer. . . Eventually, I'm fully dressed so why not go for a ride?

I second guess this outside when my breath steams through the warmer I've pulled over my face, but as long as I'm outside. . .

The only thing that almost makes me quit each time is the hr monitor. That thing is so damned cold, it pisses me off enough to want to get back into bed.

eloy

Dec 18, 2014 at 07:23 PM

do you need a HR monitor?

No garmin. No Rules.

Bruce van-Schalkwyk

Dec 18, 2014 at 07:59 PM

I forgot it today and found myself just riding in circles.

No, don't need it, and it's too dark to see anything. I almost fall over each ride trying to either catch my speed when riding beneath a street light, or hitting a garmin button with thick gloves to turn on the back light.

Not that I'm superstitious or anything, but I need my hr strap the same way my food goes in my back right pocket, phone center, inner tube and Co2 left. Without that symmetry, the world would stop spinning.

eloy

Dec 22, 2014 at 12:28 AM

Will ride a few prospect laps tomorrow.

9 am for about 90 minutes or 25ish miles. Join me. Meet at GAP.

Joshua Edwards

Dec 30, 2014 at 04:52 AM

Gonna do a few laps in the morning if anyone cares to join.

eloy

Jan 01, 2015 at 02:12 PM

Happy new year Kissena.

Will do a few laps in Prospect Park today -- Jan 1st 2015!

Join me. Meet at GAP 11am.

Joshua Edwards

Jan 06, 2015 at 02:56 PM

Was able to get some laps in before the snow this morning but damn it was cold! Bottles froze up about half way through the ride and I wasn't even out very long.

Bruce van-Schalkwyk

Jan 20, 2015 at 05:38 PM

I got out this morning. 36F, the roads were still wet and my legs were sore from my run last night. Yeah, from the run. Nothing to do with the winter beer and winter stew and the first ride outdoors in 2 weeks.

It was typically cold and pitch black and there were runners in the bike lane, and unusual to write, someone apologized as I went past and jumped back into their giant running lane with all that huge amount of space. I've taken to riding in the bike lane on the right side, the fast lane part, as it were, because of the runners. This will sort itself out as more riders get into the park.

I picked up Eddie for a lap, and then another rider for 2 more laps until I decided to let them attack me on the uphill, at around 13mph or so.

I saw Eric out there on one of my laps - nice to see team kit.

Home, hot coffee, hot shower, 3 layers hanging on the drying rack, and thankful I got outside.

eloy

Jan 20, 2015 at 06:09 PM

Was out this morning, sorry we didn't catch each other.

Will be just a tad colder tomorrow (Jan 20th), but basically same forecast than today. So will be out around 6:30~7am.

ericmehlenbeck

Jan 20, 2015 at 06:43 PM

Bruce was moving quickly this am. One to watch in 2015.

Bruce van-Schalkwyk

Mar 10, 2015 at 03:25 PM

Back to our regularly scheduled program.

I got out for a little sprint practice this morning in the dark. That was quite a shock to my system. Especially since NPR said it was 42, my app said it was 39, and the hourly said 37. It wasn't 19, so I dressed warm and was happy to be outside.

I spied a solid group of NYCC riding a double-paceline, and was passed - by Jeff c.? After sprints were done, rode half a lap with Adam before he fired his rocket boosters on a VO2Max effort (and took the 2015 Center drive KOM!), and then half a lap with Eloy, who also left me for VO2Max efforts.

Anyone on the TrainingPeaks program may want to give a shout out here regarding times, especially if you're following the same schedule or need motivation to pull that duvet off your head before the sun is up. I do enjoy training solo, specifically when making hard efforts or doing longer TT rides, and then once those efforts are done, it's incredibly nice to ride with someone and talk, or just have a friendly wheel.

We're out in the park now, so even if you're coming out solo, you'll probably see team kit.

Joshua Edwards

Mar 11, 2015 at 03:28 AM

Can't tomorrow (and looks like it'll be raining anyway) but I'm in for Thursday, Bruce. Hope to see you out there.