Tandem Tide

In a few short weeks, my years of coming to Decorah on the weekend will be over.    While this is a good thing (yay no more winter drives!), it's also sad.   While I technically live in Owatonna, a good part of my heart calls Northeast Iowa home.   I'll certainly be back, but it won't often be for the kinds of stays that allow time for riding and running, so I'm trying to make sure to get in as many as I can before the end of the month.     Saturday provided a picture perfect setting for this goal, as it was cool and sunny, with a moderate north wind.   I had the road bike in the Forester and trail shoes in my bag, and I was ready to take in as much of the day as I could.

I started out with week 5 day 1 from the C25K program, running on the River trail for part of it, so as to better prepare for my upcoming 5k.   I have to say, I really do love trail running.   The misery of running seems to melt away as soon as I step onto the rock and dirt trail.  River trail meanders along the Upper Iowa River, darting in and out of the woodlands that border it.   It was still almost chilly during my run, as the sun had not yet had the chance to warm the deep pockets of the forest, but it felt good.   I saw wildflowers and birds, heard countless critters bounding through the leaves and even had to run around a fallen tree.   These are experiences that road running has no answer for.   I didn't run particularly fast, but I felt faster and more energetic in the run.   I will say trail running makes me think that I could grow to like the minimalist shoe thing, but I still think that needs to wait until I have lost more weight.   

After grabbing breakfast and water, I got my Avail out and headed out for my ride.   Pole Line road is still closed, so it isn't possible to ride my early season loop right now.  Instead, I decided to do an out and back to Cresco, which I figured should end up around 60 miles.   The first part of this trip is a gigantic climb out of the valley, made worse by the fact that they make you do it twice.   The downhills are almost worth it though -- I hit 32 mph coasting down the first one.   The rest of the ride is actually pretty flat, as after I get to Calmar, I take the Prairie Farmer trail to Cresco.   It was when I hit Calmar I knew the ride was going to be longer, as I was at 15 miles there, and it's another 20 to Cresco.   With the ambition of fresh legs, I decided I would add on the Nature Center trail in Cresco to try and get 80 miles in.

The thing about 80 miles (or 76 as it ended up being), is that my long ride this season was 62, and that was in May.  Since may, my long ride was probably 40 miles.  No biggie, right?   Well, I clipped along pretty well to Cresco, but I could feel the fatigue setting in.  I munched on my Clif bars, and refilled my water bottles and turned around to head back.   Before I even got out of Cresco, I knew I had a problem.  My back, which I injured earlier in the week was not happy, and I had no pain meds with me.   I made a pit stop at Kwik Star and got some Aleve, but I knew from experience that it was going to be an ugly ride back.   

I was in the full misery of my return trip when I saw the first tandem (I know, you were wondering what that title was about).   Soon after, I saw another and another and another until I lost count.  There were recumbent tandems and road tandems and a couple cruiser tandems.   I assume it was some sort of club, but it was perfect.  The oddity of seeing so many of the uncommon bike was just the thing to distract me from my back.   At some point, I decided such a group deserved a title and I settled on the "Tandem Tide".  I must have been a little loopy because every time I saw the tandems after that I started giggling a little thinking of my name for them.   Also, I learned from this group that if you are lucky enough to be in the back on a recumbent tandem, you can totally read and bike at the same time.  

Workout:

The run: 1.8 miles / 14.16 min/mile

The ride:  76.3 miles / 15.5 avg