Well. I couldn't put it off any further. And frankly, I don't think it would have been wise for me to put it off another day. I commuted all the way in today. I didn't get a whole lot of riding in last week after we got back from Utah and by Monday morning I had been in a pretty strong depression for several days. Bicycling nearly everyday has allowed me to get off my antidepressants and so when I missed several days I think it led to a couple of really crappy days. Yesterday morning I forced myself out for 11 miles. Today I was back at it for real. I've had a bit of what I think is a problem with my sciatic nerve which is a pain in my butt going down the back of my thigh. Cycling seems to help it. I can't figure out what caused the problem, perhaps it was doing back flips into the pool Saturday night. I dared my 6 year old son to do a back flip off the diving board and he didn't jump back far enough and the diving board gave him a rasberry on his chest and chin as he dropped into the water. I felt bad and since I had dared him, I got on the board and executed my first back flip. I guess we both got our war wounds in the end.
Back to today's commute though. I haven't done a full commute in with it this hot yet. Not to mention I pushed it pretty hard today. I am working on developing power in the aero bars. With my increased flexibility from my hamstring stretches I have been doing, I have a much flatter back in the bars these days. It still has a curve towards the back but the front is flat. I used to make a big half circle with my back which led to neck pain and in reality, very little aero benefit. I am much better now. My current challenge is to try and get as much power to the pedals in the bars as I do sitting up. So far I am faster on flats or downhill, but any uphill however slight it is sees me going faster in the upright position.
Today I managed to stay at 23-25 mph most of the way accross Mesa which isn't too bad. It was warm but I was doing ok. Getting into Tempe though I was getting hot. In fact as I got closer to Camelback Mtn. my times dropped and I was losing the battle against the heat since I was working REALLY hard and the terrain tended to the uphill. It was in the lower 90s. Somewhere around Camelback road I started getting sweat in my mouth. My buff (really cool product with many uses, one of which helps wick sweat off your forehead) I was wearing was keeping it out of my eyes but the output of sweat was enormous.
I did manage to push out the last 3 hills but I couldn't have taken much more. Just at the spot I start my cooldown I got a flat, which actually turned into 2 thanks to a pinchflat. I am not looking forward to the ride down to the bus stop this afternoon in 110+ degree heat. I am going to fully dress out for the ride and couldn't care less what all the business types on the express bus think. It will be better than business clothes drenched in sweat and the desert dweller has to dress to the conditions. Now to go put my waterbottle in the freezer.
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