Mike's Bike Blog

In a surprising announcement today it has been revealed that popcorn can enhance your recovery time after an endurance event like cycling. My sources also tell me that for the most benefit the popcorn sold by Cub Scouts offers the most benefit. I'm also told that in some people that consumed the microwave light version they lost 5 pounds.

Just by chance my 2 cub scouts are selling popcorn as a fundraiser for their pack.

You can order your popcorn online at orderpopcorn.com, be sure to use TEQ1FWG as the affiliate number.

DISCLAIMER: These claims have not been evalulated by the FDA nor is there any scientific evidence to show any superhuman benefits to consuming Cub Scout popcorn after endurance events or at any other time.

Today I did battle with Smokey Valley, one on one, man versus hill. I've ridden most if not all the monster hills Austin has to offer (Jester, Beauford, Bluegrass, Lost Creek, Courtyard, City Park, Toro Canyon, the 3 Sisters). Not at any point up any of those hills did I once think I might have to bail out. Today that thought crossed my mind.

Smokey Valley is not long by any stretch, it's only .3 miles in length, but the grade is what will get you. The average grade is 13.2% and swoops up to 19.6% at the top. Other hills seem to have roughly about the same grade, but no other hill have I had to resort to the Zig Zag technique to get to the top. If you are not familiar with the zig zag, it is when you go up the hill at an angle not straight on.

One thing that might have contributed to the difficulty is the fact that I'm still having shifting problems when I go into my lowest gear on the rear cassette, I can't shift back up. So I haven't been shifting down. I'll have to give Smokey Valley another go next week and see if I find it as butt kicking as I did today.

See the image below as my Garmin recorded my ride, note the zig zagging at the top of Smokey Valley:

We were truly blessed with wonderful weather today, it was absolutely perfect. It was a tad windy, but I didn't think it was too bad, it was definitely better than when I rode the route last August and not nearly as windy as last year.

I had the goal of riding a century in 5 hours and 30 minutes. To tell you the truth I didn't think today was going to be the day. At the end of my ride in Thursday my knee started to ache a little. Friday it didn't go away so I didn't ride at all. This morning when I woke up it wasn't sore at all, for the first 50 miles I didn't want to push it, I averaged 17.7. At about mile 30 I some how pulled away from Dan and Jared, they were gabbing about mountain bikes and the next thing I know they are no longer behind me. I jumped in with a few other riders and we took turns pulling and then by Bartlett it was just me and a lady with a Fleet Feet kit. We rode together till a bit after the Granger Lake rest stop. I was doing the math in my head and if I averaged 20 mph I could come in around 5:30. I was feeling really good so I decided to push it up to 22+.

The second 50 miles I ended up averaging 19 mph, which isn't bad considering the last 50 has a lot of sections into the wind. I sprinted to the finish at 5:20:23, my active on the bike time was 05:12:04.

Next time a sub 5 hour time!

This is a really great story of Svein Tuft from his humble beginnings to the Bejing Olympics.

If you've been following along you know one of my goals is to ride up the hill on Limecreek (the 3 Sisters) in 3 minutes and 30 seconds. On Saturday I rode up it in 3 minutes and 35 seconds. Today I rode out Limecreek for a couple of climbs up the Sisters.

My first go up it I clocked a time of 3 minutes and 30.38 seconds! Thus by rounding down, which I'm told is the norm, I've met the goal! I'm pretty stoked, now it's time to get it even lower. I'm thinking 3 minutes flat.

Even though there was a burn ban in effect I was on fire going up the Sisters!