Two days ago, in Springtown, Texas, I did my eighth bike rally of the year and my 480th overall. Unfortunately for those of us who like to do a bike rally every Saturday, there were three rallies Saturday. Three! I've learned how to be in two places at once, but three? I don't understand why rally organizers don't divide up the dates. Sometimes there are no rallies on a given Saturday, and sometimes there are two or three. Isn't the point to make money? I guess this is one of those things I am doomed not to understand.
Three of my home boys showed up: Phil, Randy, and Bryce. It was hot, humid, and windy. Oh, did I mention that the course was hilly? Up and down, up and down, all morning! What a difference a week makes. In Mesquite the previous Saturday, there were hardly any hills. My average speed tells the tale: 19.71 miles per hour in Mesquite, 16.67 in Springtown (elapsed time = 3:09:14). But I didn't mind. I wanted to have fun for a change, without too much suffering. We rode at a leisurely pace most of the time, talking and enjoying the beautiful countryside. I cherish these times with my friends, for who knows how long they will last?
As odd as it may sound, I got stronger as the ride progressed. I felt much better at the finish than at the start, when I was lethargic. All told, we rode 52.6 miles. My top speed for the day was 37.0 miles per hour. The average wind speed for the day at DFW International Airport was 16.7 miles per hour, with gusts to 25. By mid-afternoon, by which time I was home in Fort Worth, the temperature reached 96º Fahrenheit. I'm adjusting to the summer heat, as I always do.
My Garmin Forerunner 305 worked well. It showed that I burned 3,019 calories, based on my actual heart rate during the ride as well as my age, sex, and weight. That's far more calories than my bike computer used to show. Either the old one is low or the Garmin is high, or both. Randy gets a high caloric reading on his Garmin as well, so perhaps my old computer was low. Either way, I burned a lot of calories. My average heart rate during the ride was 108 and my maximum 143. My highest recorded average heart rate during a ride is 132, so you can see that I didn't work very hard.
Addendum: I increased my activity level in June. I used to run three times a week and cycle once, for a total of four aerobic activities in seven days. Now I walk 4.3 miles at a brisk pace on the other three days—unless I play softball, which is exhausting. Today's 3.1-mile run gave me five runs, three bike rides, one softball game, and four 4.3-mile walks in 14 days. I do not count my many walks with Shelbie. My resting heart rate this morning was 45. Did I mention that it's hot in these parts? I love it!
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 