Slamhammafest, and Peaceful Moonlight
Posted On Friday, March 21st, 2008 By David Veatch
I made record time last night. It’s possible that the stiff tailwind helped, but I’m inclined to think it was my own stellar physique and motivation more than anything.
I didn’t set out for a personal best. I just set out and found that I was going pretty fast, and that it felt good. I went with it. Both the fast and the feeling good, that is. Before I knew it, I was almost home, and pulling a great average speed (16.4mph/3:39 pace) and was going to beat my previous best by minutes, not seconds.
Of course, when I realized this, somewhere around 91st and Quivira, my motivation changed from enjoying the fast pace, to beating my previous best, and my hammerfest turned into a slamhammafest. I tore down Quivira as fast as I could, letting up only for stop lights and cars going slower than I (yes… it happened). I did pay brief respect to the car full of young women who deemed it their duty to yell such things as “Yeah!” and “Oh Yeah!” and “Wooo!!” as I spun my legs at 110rpm in the highest gear. That may have cost me a second or two, but I believe in acknowledging compliments when they’re given. It’s a personal flaw I have to deal with.
When I got home, I was beat, but not nearly so much as my first few commutes when I started, or my first couple commutes after being sick for three weeks. I felt tired, but strong.
This morning, though I may not get any riding in this weekend on account of moving the GF in, I took it ridiculously easy. Once I got out of the house, that is. The cat was underfoot, and damned determined to bolt past me into the garage at every opportunity. I don’t care if he goes into the garage, but who knows how long he’d be there, or what he’d get into before the GF woke up. Best to keep him relatively contained, until we’re confident he’s found all the nooks and crannies he’s going to find. As confident as can be, anyway. ;)
On to the ride… Last night’s slamhammafest was fantastic, but you can’t over do that sort of thing. I have to keep a mind towards actual training here as the Triple Bypass looms nigh. So, as I said, I took it ridiculously easy. I didn’t care about speed, or cadence; I cared only about keeping my heart rate very low. I did that pretty well, averaging 144bpm.
My one regret was that the gorgeous nearly full moon, partially veiled in wispy clouds, was behind me for most of the trip. It reminded me of the moons I used to draw as a child. I’d sit on the floor with colored paper and crayons (graduating to pencil and colored pencil after a while), and seek the perfect moon with the perfect wispy cloud covering that evoked just the right sense of awe and dread. This morning, the moon was just that. Perfect. I wish it would have been around longer before the clouds swallowed it. It wasn’t a loss, though. I was able to carry the sight of it with me the rest of the way into work, and thought of many things from my distant past I hadn’t thought of in years.
A good morning.