Failure

Yet strangely, I mark the week as an enormous success :)

I didn’t run today, so I’m capped at 15 or so for the week running miles.

Today dawned grey, and stayed that way through lunch. About 1, the baby was asleep, and I knew I had to bite the bullet and do something. Been following the Tour de Georgia all week, so I threw on the shorts and jersey and jumped on the bike. And as I dropped down the hill towards the New London turnpike, the clouds broke, and the sun came out.

Today was climbing. Took Pequot Trail up (way up) and out of Old Mystic, then looped down past Mystic reservoir and down to RT 1. Stayed on the coast to Groton Long Point, and took the long climb up to RT 1, quick downhill past the church, and a climb up Flanders Road to Yetter and back home. Quality ride – 1 hour, 17 miles.

The Forerunner let me down – between hills and trees, it was not keeping a good GPS signal, and listed 11 miles when I hit the driveway. Bleh.

In other news, today’s Liege-Bastigone-Liege was a schweet race. First, Liege is a great town – they’ve got these waffles that are freaking great – super sugary so you don’t need anything on them. They’re kind of doughy instead of battery, and they’re served straight off the iron. Yum.

The race had a great conclusion – Jens Voight (CSC) and Alexander Vinokourov (T-Mobile, hence known as Vinko) broke away about 50 km from the end and stayed away til the end, over some pretty decent climbs. Both long-time, hard-working riders, both worked hard to keep the break away. Vinko took the sprint. Wow. The other eye-opener was Caldel Evans, former MTB racer turned roadie, leading the attack off the last climb to try to catch Voight/Vinko. He ended up coming in fifth after dragging a couple other guys, but watching him make the last climb made me realize that I’ve got to have another level down to which I can dig the next time I feel tapped out.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend, too. Sounds like Jon’s luck has turned. And the news isn’t so bad – the local coverage ended with a skydiving accident in Halifax and a boat fire (like a 20′ power boat) in Florida. Not to make light of the misfortune of others, but if we’re heading hundreds of miles north and south to find something bleeding, life is good here.

6 thoughts on “Failure”

  1. Boy, that’s such a huge word. I’m distracted. I want to ask you if you still think a Forerunner is worth it, but I’m looking at that word “failure.” Seems so critical. So harsh.

    Look at your most recent posts by title only. Interesting. Look inside a little, I think. You’re really on yourself lately. Why?

  2. i was thinking of you the whole time i was at the race. i kept thinking, dang, i wish bill was here! you would have wet yourself!

  3. See I rely on a low tech system to calculate my mileage. I know my speed or lack there of, okay pace is a better word and therefore if I don’t know the actual distance I guestimate my distance based on my known pace. I may be off a few meters here or there but sometimes its the time out that actually more important than the actual distance.

  4. I love your description of cycling around the Mystic area. It’s like, “I know that area. I’ve been on the Pequot Trail! I run on Rt. 1 (further east) in the summer!”
    Thanks for the inspiration.

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