A Very Muddy Dirtbag

Ride Day

time- 1hr 41mi
distance- 26.48mi



So it stopped raining for long enough for me to set out this morning, but it had been raining hard since last night. We all know what that means, right campers? That's right, MUD! Road bikes have no fenders so all that spray goes right up my front and back. I didn't realize how much so until I stopped at a red light and pulled my handkerchief out (I get sniffly when I'm riding sometimes and its a choice between having a handkerchief or sniffing for 90 minutes. I choose nose rag. Moving on.) and blow my nose. When I take the rag away its got mud on it. Which means either a) GAAAA! I'M BLEEDING MUD FROM MY NOSE!! or b) I'm covered in mud spatter. Going with b.
I felt strong for the first three fourths of today's ride. Pretty good cadence, nice speed, all that jazz. Before I started back up Pineapple Hill (I just realized a few days ago that's what cyclists call the road from Dole Plantation to Haleiwa. Makes sense. It's also a pretty famous climb on Oahu. Right in my backyard. Go figure.) I took the route through Haleiwa that I think is how the race goes next Sunday. It's three laps and should be ok. There are some short climbs which might hurt some in a race setting, but its no biggie. I'm trying to be positive here. If you look on the jogtracker map above the race course is that narrow oval that shoots north.
Climbing Pineapple Hill kinda always sucks, and today was no exception. I went away in my head a little bit, which doesn't help the speed, but made it up ok. That climb, for me, is a mental workout as much as it is physical. I also know that when I have time for a real training cycle I'll be trying to get two and three scoops of Pineapple Hill in on one ride. These thoughts do not help during a climb.
Like I said at the beginning, it poured on the way home. I hoped this would wash some of the mud off the bike but so such luck. Mega-wipe down under cover of carport. Run tomorrow, then I'm back into the pre-race taper week.