Month: December 2017

North American Vasa 2018 -063 days

17.3 km; 1:46:32; 239 m elevation; 09.7 km/h avg; SatSki PR roller ski elevation 239 m

PR roller ski elevation 239 m, pathetic, I know, but you try finding a hill on Florida’s coast.

A slight drizzle made me hesitate at the Stevenson Creek bridge this morning. I decided that the weather would not be wet like Thursday night’s ski. The boots sat in front of the fan all night long and were still not fully dry by Friday. My superb judgement got me home safe and dry, just before the actual rain began. #DryBoots #HA

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The Memorial Causeway Bridge, from below, with the corkscrew just around the corner to the left and the Pierce Street Market just below the curve at far right.

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The view from the corkscrew.

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A stranger took this shot of me under the Memorial Causeway Bridge near the Pierce Street Market

Downtown Clearwater was hosting a 5 km event this morning which  officially closed my bridge for a spell. I did an extra “bluff climb” lap and unofficially bypassed the corkscrew to make it up the first ascent against the descending throng. Well, less of a throng, and more of a small mob. The “Cold Front” most assuredly kept many locals from coming down.

But the bridge was dry for my three round trips and I made it home in time to shower, shave and get changed [business casual] for American Power and Gas’ office Christmas Brunch up in the Crystal Ballroom of the Fort Harrison Hotel. [roast beast, perfectly cooked whole salmon, cheese, cheese, cheese, eggs Benedict, scalloped potatoes, salad, salad, salad, kielbasa, bacon, fruit, pie, pie, pie!]

Memorial Causeway Bridge, fom Crystal Ballroom balcony

Here is the view of my Memorial Causeway Bridge from the balcony off the Crystal Ballroom of the Ft. Harrison Hotel. Doesn’t look like much of a hill, does it? But it is the best I have to work with here in flat, flat, flat Florida.

2018/01/27 -049 days Noquemanon Ski Marathon [OMG!]
2018/02/10 -063 days North American Vasa Festival of Races

[click links for race maps]

North American Vasa 2018 -065 days

[T-065 days] rollerski 10.1 km; 1:02:28; 094 m elevation; 10.7 km/h avg; ThuSki
[T-066 days] rollerski 16.3 km; 1:25:55; 158 m elevation; 11.4 km/h avg; WedSki bridge climb 4x
[T-067 days] rollerski 15.8 km; 1:22:29; 040 m elevation; 11.5 km/h avg; TueSki circles
[T-068 days] rollerski 02.0 km; 0:24:45; 007 m elevation; 04.8 km/h avg; non-strenous walk
[T-069 days] rollerski 15.8 km; 1:25:08; 131 m elevation; 11.1 km/h avg; SunSki bridge climbs 3x
[T-070 days] canoe 04.1 km; 0:52:59; 003 m elevation; 04.7 km/h avg; Dunedin Christmas Boat Parade
[T-070 days] rollerski 20.7 km; 1:51:08; 051 m elevation; 11.1 km/h avg; SatSki
[T-071 days] canoe 02.0 km; 0:31:09; 004 m elevation; 03.9 km/h avg; FriCanoe

[T-065 days] Finally, another “cold” front. This one has brought more clouds than cold. Rain, too. Skate roller skiing on smooth, wet concrete and pavement, I had to be a bit careful about keeping my weight over my leading ski. Is this what skate skiing on snow is like? Perhaps. Just 2 bridge climbs tonight. Did they feel more “natural?”
[T-066 days] The goal is to make climbing feel more natural. The strategy is to do more consistent climbing, while gradually adding more climbs and more elevation.
[T-067 days]
[T-068 days] A “non-strenuous” walk
[T-069 days] Climbing again. It was hard, but I did it. No more “strenuous” exercise till after Tuesday morning’s [routine] blood draw; 24-48 hours; drink lots of water plus a 12 hour fast.
[T-070 days]
[T-070 days] Flat ski, out to the circles, including the Duck Pond Velodrome. Willing to go 20 km, but not willing to confront climbing.
[T-071 days]

2018/01/27 -051 days Noquemanon Ski Marathon
2018/02/03 -058 days White Pine
2018/02/10 -065 days North American Vasa Festival of Races
2018/02/24 -079 days Birkebeiner

North American Vasa 2018 -071 days

14.4 km; 1:13:17; 133m elevation; 11.8 km/h avg; 52.2 km/h max; FriSki bridge climb 2x
canoe 02.5 km; 3m elevation [What? Where were the rapids?]; FriCanoe

PR max speed [roller ski]: 52.2 km/h

A moonlit canoe trip with my wife and Lovely Assistant, Susan, out into the Intra-Coastal Waterway and up Stevenson Creek to the Pinellas Trail Bridge. We saw some pretty Christmas lights, marveled at the calmness and watched the fish jumping in the creek. The fish were way less active, now that the Full Moon approaches. The Full Super Moon of 2017, no less. The tide was very high.

I passed my boss (who Nordic skis, both skate and classic) and his wife on Osceola Avenue on my way skiing back from the bridge. “How many miles are you going?” he asked.

“About 10 tonight.” I replied. Time to tighten up the form and Look Mar·vel·ous!

2018/01/27 -057 days Noquemanon Ski Marathon
2018/02/03 -064 days White Pine
2018/02/10 -071 days North American Vasa Festival of Races
2018/02/24 -085 days Birkebeiner