Tour De Talbot Metric Century

Yesterday we rode 60 miles through Talbot County on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Not quite a metric century, but that’s the only complaint I have. 😉

Looking like a dork, but worth it to keep the sun out of my eyes. 

Tour De Talbot Metric Century

We left home at 6 am and arrived at the Easton Fire Hall around 7:30. Parking was easy. Packet pick-up was easy. We slathered on sunscreen, fired up our Garmins, and were on our way before 8 am.

Oh, I bet skipping the out-and-back
to the first rest stop is why our miles were short.

Except for a few short stretches, the route was on very quiet roads. We saw a few cars once in a while, but never felt like we were riding in traffic.

Typical Eastern Shore farmland.

I was surprised how much shade we had—and savored the cool air that wafted over from the woods—mother nature’s air conditioning!

We were grateful for whoever planted these trees many decades ago!

The first rest stop we visited was at the Oxford ferry. I refilled my water bottle, grabbed 1/2 PB & J sandwich, and got in line on the pier.

I was amused by the water on my Elemnt map.

Only one car got on the ferry, but there were a lot of cyclists!

I managed to get a spot on the side for the short ride.

It was so gorgeous!

The other rest stop we stopped at was a quaint little church. After using the (indoor) bathroom, I ate another 1/2 PB&J and several orange slices.

Before I knew it, we were heading back into Easton again. We enjoyed our post-ride lunch (wraps and brownies) in the Fire Hall, and used those indoor bathrooms before heading home.

I’m really pleased with our pace. We didn’t know what to expect on a flat route (no hills to climb, but no coasting either), and were hoping to average at least 15 mph. Maybe because it was so flat, I didn’t feel tired when we were done—or even like I’d exercised! Maybe it will catch up with me tomorrow. 😉

Overall this was a great event. Low cost ($25!), but well-organized. The three routes were well-marked with arrows on the road and signs before most turns. The rest stops were not elaborate, but had water, Gatorade, pickle juice, PB&Js, and other snacks—and friendly volunteers.

Weekly Run Down

The big Peloton news this week is that Logan Aldridge started teaching strength classes. He is an adaptive athlete who lost his left arm in a wakeboarding accident when he was 13. He teaches “regular” strength classes and also “adaptive” classes designed for people who either want/need to workout sitting or want/need to workout standing. Pretty cool!

Monday: 10 min Bodyweight  + 10 min Strength for Runners + 39.5 miles
We took advantage of the holiday and went for a long ride on the W&OD bike path. It wasn’t too crowded, although we had to walk our bikes through the Viva Vienna fair. I was not tempted by the funnel cake, but the shaken lemonade did catch my eye.
Tuesday: 10 min Bodyweight + 3.5 Scooby Miles + 20 min FB Strength
I’m mixing up my pre-run routine, taking a bodyweight strength class instead of a core class once in a while. Most of the bodyweight classes have a few minutes of core anyway.

So humid!

Wednesday: Core + 3.5 Tread Miles + 20 min LB Strength
Scooby needed a lot of breaks to get through Tuesday’s run, so on Global Running Day I ran on my treadmill.

I’m not going to try to tag everyone, but I will thank Cari for organizing our Global Running Day collage. With Renee and Shathiso participating—and Deborah joining from Dubai—it really was a global event!

Thursday: Core +20 min FB + 10 min LB
Logan’s premiere was Wednesday evening, so I took my first class with him on Thursday morning. It’s a great class to take because he shares how he became an amputee and how it has inspired him to help others do what they can.

Friday: Core + 3.7 Scooby miles + 10 min A&S Strength + 10 min ALW Strength
After taking Scooby out I paired Logan’s 10 min upper body class with a 10 min arms + light weights class. My arms were toast!

Saturday: 60 miles cycling!

Waiting on the ferry pier.

Sunday: Core + Barre + 5.1 Scooby Miles
Maybe my legs were a little tired, but the cool temperatures and low humidity made up for it, and I felt pretty great after the first mile.

This week I had to Chicago for a few days. It’s one of my favorite cities to run in, but I’m also staying at a hotel with Pelotons. How will I decide what to do?

A huge thank you to Deborah and Kim for hosting the Weekly Run Down link up.

Have you been on a ferry?