Spring Break with the Fam

We spent six days in Richmond, VA for spring break. It worked as a good meeting point for our growing family and provided plenty of activities for all ages. Pablo lived his best life, joining us most days for hikes, visiting breweries, and outdoor lunches.

My husband and I took our bikes anticipating riding the Virginia Capital Trail, and perhaps even tooling around Richmond. We rode on the trail two days – our first and last – but didn’t ride during the week, opting instead to walk and hike with the family while exploring the city.

 

Overview of the First Week: March 10 – 16

Before discussing each day’s workouts, here’s an overview of my workouts from the first week. Scroll beyond the infographic for daily details…

 

Sunday

Cycling: 45 miles
• Average speed: 16.7 MPH
• Bike: Life Fitness Lifecycle GX Spin
• Surface: N/A
• Elevation gain: N/A
• Start time: 8:38 AM
• Location: basement
• Weather: 64° in basement (43° outside with northeast winds 20 to 30 MPH and gusts up to 55 MPH)
• What I wore: bike shorts and jog bra (put on tank for picture)

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours

I was looking forward to riding again with the Gravel Rats, but high winds kept me inside and safe on my spin bike. I’ve become extremely cautious about riding outside in the wind after a very popular local bike mechanic was killed in 2020 when the wind blew a tree on him while he was out mountain biking. The following year, the wind picked up while my friends and I were riding on the C&O Canal. I’ll never forget the cracking and splintering sound a large tree branch made when it hit the trail right behind me, and in front of my friend Chuck.

 

Monday

Strength training: 1 hour of total body

Walking: 2 miles
• Average pace: 14:50 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 92 feet
• Start time: 4:13 PM
• Location: neighborhood trails
• Weather: 54° and sunny
• What I wore: capris, l/s shirt, vest, visor, and gloves (took vest and gloves off halfway through)

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours

The wind finally died down enough to go for a walk without getting blown away so I took advantage of the beautiful blue sky and reasonably warm temps. The grass is starting to get very green and fat buds are forming on the trees. I always love watching the transformation that takes place this time of year – all the more reason to opt outside whenever I can.

 

Tuesday

Cycling: 31 miles
• Average speed: 12.9 MPH
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 1,617 feet
• Start time: 9:42 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail to Thomas Mill and Woodburn loop
• Weather: 57° and sunny, climbing to 68°
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, arm sleeves, jacket, and fingerless gloves (took jacket off about 8 miles in)

Gardening: 1 hour

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hour, plus 1 hour of physical therapy

Spring fever had me tight within its grasp and I was overjoyed to be able to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.

 

Wednesday

Strength training: 1 hour of total body

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours

Walking: 2 miles
• Average pace: 21:24 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 61 feet
• Start time: 11:06 AM
• Location: 55+ community
• Weather: 68° and sunny
• What I wore: capris and l/s shirt

When the middle of three clients canceled her session at the last minute and I couldn’t reschedule my next person, I took an easy stroll around the community.

Drive to Richmond after work

 

Thursday

Cycling: 86 miles
• Average speed: 14.2 MPH
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 1,762 feet
• Start time: 9:01 AM
• Location: Virginia Capital Trail, Dorey Park (Richmond suburb) to Jamestown loop
• Weather: 59° and sunny, climbing to 82°
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, jacket, and fingered gloves (removed jacket and changed to fingerless gloves 20 miles into the ride)

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours

On our first full day of spring break my husband and I rode the Virginia Capital Trail, also known as the Cap to Cap Trail because it goes from Jamestown, Virginia’s first capital to Richmond, Virginia’s current capital. It was a gorgeous spring day and we had a fantastic ride. Eighty-six miles was a lot more than we would have normally ridden, but the idea of riding between the two capitals was to cool to pass up. The full trail runs 51 miles (102 mile loop) from downtown Richmond to Jamestown, but we started at Dorey Park in one of the Richmond suburbs, thus 86 miles total.

 

Friday

Walking: 3 miles
• Average pace: not recorded
• Elevation gain: not recorded
• Start time: 8:33 AM
• Location: Richmond
• Weather: 58° and sunny, climbing to 66°
• What I wore: capris, l/s shirt, down vest, and visor

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours

After a leisurely walk to breakfast, the rest of the day was spent at a park, a brewery, and then dinner at a heavy medal grunge place that had amazing burgers. Let’s just say our family stuck out – not enough piercings, tattoos, or black clothing. LOL

 

Saturday

Walking: 1.5 miles
• Average pace: not recorded
• Elevation gain: not recorded
• Start time: 5:08 PM
• Location: Richmond
• Weather: 68° and sunny
• What I wore: jeans, s/s shirt, denim jacket, and Topsiders

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours

The day started with a trip to the Richmond Farmers Market, visiting a brewery, some down time, and finally a walk (about 1.5 miles roundtrip) to and from dinner, but I failed to record it on Garmin or Strava.

 

Overview of the Second Week: April 17 – 23

Before discussing each day’s workouts, here’s an overview of my workouts from the second week. Scroll beyond the infographic for daily details…

 

Sunday

Walking: 2.3 miles
• Average pace: 27:49 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 104 feet
• Start time: 8:18 AM
• Location: Belle Isle, Richmond
• Weather: 58° and overcast, climbing to 61° and sunny
• What I wore: capris, l/s shirt, down jacket, and gloves

Walking: 3.62 miles
• Average pace: 23:24 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 20 feet
• Start time: 12:56 PM
• Location: Carytown, Richmond
• Weather: 68° and cloudy, becoming sunny
• What I wore: jeans, s/s shirt, denim jacket, and Topsiders

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours

Our morning started with a hike around Belle Isle and an afternoon walk to Carytown with some sightseeing along the way.

 

Monday

Walking: 3.61 miles
• Average pace: 22:18 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 47 feet
• Start time: 7:54 AM
• Location: Byrd Park, Richmond
• Weather: 46° and cloudy, climbing to 50°
• What I wore: capris, l/s shirt, down jacket, visor, and gloves

Walking: 3 miles
• Average pace: 18:57 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 82 feet
• Start time: 2:33 PM
• Location: Brown’s Island, Richmond
• Weather: 54° and cloudy, becoming sunny
• What I wore: jeans, s/s shirt, denim jacket, and Topsiders

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours

We started with a walk to breakfast and Byrde Park before going back to our Airbnb for some down time. Mid-afternoon we headed back out for another walk, this time around Brown’s Island.

 

Tuesday

Cycling: 22 miles
• Average speed: 12.7 MPH
• Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 659 feet
• Start time: 11:11 AM
• Location: Virginia Capital Trail, Dorey Park (Richmond suburb) to downtown Richmond loop
• Weather: 44° (feels like 37°) and sunny, climbing to 48° (feels like 42°)
• What I wore: bike shorts, s/s jersey, arm sleeves, light jacket, down coat, and double layer gloves

Drive home from Richmond

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hour

After saying goodbye to the kids and packing up after a fabulous and too-short spring break, we drove back to Dorey Park to finish riding the remainder of the Virginia Capital Trail before driving home. The temperature was 32° when we woke up so we took our time getting to the park. I’d failed to pack my winter cycling gear (it got colder than forecasted) so I wore my down coat on top of my bike clothes.

 

Wednesday

Strength training: 1 hour of total body

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours

Walking: 2 miles
• Average pace: 14:41 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 111 feet
• Start time: 9:52 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 52° and sunny, climbing to 56°
• What I wore: capris, l/s shirt, and visor

 

Thursday

Walking: 4 miles
• Average pace: 14:40 minute/mile
• Elevation gain: 164 feet
• Start time: 5:59 AM
• Location: neighborhood circle
• Weather: 31° (feels like 26°) and clear
• What I wore: capris, l/s shirt, down coat, knit hat, and heated gloves

Cycling: 30 miles
• Average speed: 12.1 MPH
• Bike: Salsa Warbird
• Surface: paved
• Elevation gain: 1,631 feet
• Start time: 10:48 AM
• Location: W&OD Trail Ashburn/Leesburg loop with Thomas Mill and Woodburn climbs
• Weather: 38° (feels like 32°) and sunny, climbing to 45° (feels like 40°)
• What I wore: long bike pants, l/s jersey, winter jacket, and nitrile gloves lining winter gloves

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours, plus 1-hour of physical therapy

After a week off, it was great to get back to my weekly virtual cardio workout with Kim. With a ride planned for later in the day, I opted to walk outside.

 

Having missed my climbing workout on Tuesday, I hit the hills for my ride. Even though I was dressed in my winter gear (with the exception of my fleece lined bike pants) I was colder than I’ve been all winter while riding. The headwind was fierce on the way out and didn’t seem to let up much when I turned around. LOL

 

I earned two Garmin badges during the ride, one for riding 400K and the other for riding 20 hours during March.

 

Friday

Strength training: 1 hour of total body

Balance and stretching: 45 minutes

Cycling: 50 miles
• Average speed: 11.4 MPH
• Bike: Salsa Warbird
• Surface: paved and gravel
• Elevation gain: 2,034 feet
• Start time: 1:25 PM
• Location: W&OD Trail Sterling/Purcellville loop with some gravel on Canby and Diggs Valley
• Weather: 47° (feels like 43°) and overcast, climbing to 50°
• What I wore: long bike pants, l/s jersey,  jacket, and nitrile gloves under winter gloves

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours

After training clients and teaching a class, I hit the trail on my bike. With a cold and rainy Saturday forecasted I didn’t want to end up on my spin bike for a long ride. My bike had other plans and I didn’t get my full mileage in anyway.

I set out for 60 miles per my training schedule, but 12 miles into my ride my Di2 electronic shifters’ battery started dying. The front gears got stuck in the smaller ring, but I was able to shift the rear cassette until I got to around mile 42. Unfortunately, it got stuck in the fourth from the largest gear so I pretty much spent my final 7 (of a shortened to 50-mile ride) spinning while going so slowly a toddler on a balance bike could have passed me. To add insult to injury, VDOT had spread a new layer of loose gravel since a couple of weeks ago when I last rode that route. Still, it was a fun ride and I was happy to fit it in a day early and beat the rain.

 

Saturday

Rest day

Physical therapy stretches: every 6 hours

 

Last Week’s Blog Posts

In case you skipped checking in on my blog this past week, here’s what you missed…

 

Questions:
  • • What recent equipment failures have you had? ~ Having my electronic shifters’ battery die was my biggest and most recent equipment failure and one I hope not to repeat.
  • • Do you go anywhere for spring break? ~ When our sons were young we went on a winter ski vacation the first week of February each year, but never went anywhere for spring break.
  • • Did you run in race this weekend? ~ no

 

And that’s my rundown… Have a great week!

 

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I’m linking up with Deborah at Confessions of a Mother Runner and Kim from Running on the Fly for their Weekly Run Down. Be sure to check out not only the hosts’ posts, but those of the other great bloggers joining in on the fun!

 

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