Rolex 24

Well that was different.

After clearing several inches of snow on Sunday late morning, I tuned in to watch some of the Rolex 24 car race at Daytona. They announced on TV that at 1:00 p.m. the coverage would switch from a cable station to the network on NBC....over-the-air TV.

That gave me the idea to see if my little TV with only a small antenna up where my bike is set up would pull in the race. It did. Bright and clear.

So as I started to ride it dawned on me.

Since I was watching a 24-hour endurance race, what if I tried an endurance ride? What if I attempted to ride until the end of the race?

Challenge accepted.

I would simply spin in an easy gear with the goal being time spent in the saddle like nothing I am used to. A Carmichael workout takes 45 minutes, and that has been my time wall this indoor season.

Today, I made it for a total of 1:25 of riding, and on a trainer, that's no easy task.

The toughest part was at the end when my sit bones were killing me. In other words, what a pain in the ass being in the saddle that long.

And just like the cars on the track, I actually took a quick pit stop during the marathon. Early-on after I made the decision to try this, I knew I would have to change bibs. I had an older pair on that sometimes can rub you wrong in the crotch. There is just something about these things where a seam wants to be where it should not, and that can rub you raw in a hurry. Certainly, a LONGER ride like this was no place for these bibs.

So during a TV commercial in the race, I jumped off the bike and as fast I I could pulled off the bibs and changed into a different pair, not unlike these fancy cars getting new tires in the pits.

The checkered flag fell on a very exciting finish and I pulled myself off the bike very slowly to stretch a bit.

I had done it.

Only no Rolex watch for me like the winning team's drivers get in the real race!

2021 OUTDOOR

RIDE ROUTE-- Neighborhood Crit, 6 laps

MILES-- 10.7

AVE. SPEED-- 14.1

WEATHER-- Partly Sunny, 36, Wind 0-5

TOTAL OUTDOOR MILES-- 10.7

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2021 INDOOR

WORKOUT-- Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona

MILES-- 18.0 (Rode for 1 hour 25 minutes straight)

TOTAL INDOOR MILES-- 139.5