12-23-2019 Run

Run over to the coast, then heading north on the Tayelet by the sea up to about 1.5 mi before turning around.

Total distance = 3.16 mi
Pace = 8'50"/mile
Avg heartrate = 165 bpm
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/27515827006

12-21-2019 Ride

Ride with Oren and Mark Cook, starting from the Netanya starting spot.  I had connected with Mark earlier in the week and suggested a ride, and he was up for it, even with an early start.  We rode out to Hwy 4, starting out fairly slow before building speed once we got onto the highway.  Mark is fast, so he was pushing the pace.  Out to the 581, where we turned.  This road has some little ups and downs, and we got ahead of Oren a couple of times.  After the road turned north, I slowed down to match my pace to Oren, who was also riding well.  Over to the 574, for a little jaunt before getting onto the 6403 to go get coffee.  After the nice break, we headed back to Hadera on the 65 before turning onto a road that took us through downtown Hadera before connecting back to Hwy 4.  From there, it was the normal way back to the starting point, a fairly fast pace for the latter part of a ride.  By this time, the weather was ideal, even though at the start of the ride it was cold enough for my fingers to be numb.  Other than a few spots where we were riding slower, our pace was generally fast, and it was a good workout for me.

Avg speed = 17.5 mph. Total mileage = 38.8 mi
Avg heartrate = 143 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1020'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3945628744
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/27514012083

12-20-2019 Ride

Solo ride, heading out Ben Zvi to the 44 and then to the 412, turning left and heading toward Petah Tikva on the 40.  There were a couple of chilly spots in the initial minutes, until the sun started to warm things up.  Once I got into Petah Tikva, on a whim I turned right and rode through a neighborhood that I later found out was Kfar Sirkin.  Not so interesting.  Then I retraced my route back home, returning via Kibbutz Galuyot.

Avg speed = 16.9 mph. Total mileage = 34.7 mi
Avg heartrate = 135 bpm
Total elevation gain = 690'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3944666578

12-19-2019 Run

Run over to the coast, then heading north on the Tayelet by the sea up to about 1.5 mi before turning around.

Total distance = 3.24 mi
Pace = 8'41"/mile
Avg heartrate = 170 bpm
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/27485061756

12-16-2019 Run

Run on the Tayelet.

Total mileage = 3.24 mi
Avg pace = 9'03"/mile
Avg heartrate = 163 bpm
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/27400855591

12-14-2019 Ride

Ride with Oren from Netanya starting point, simple route out the normal way to Hwy 4 and heading north, through Hadera until we reached the 65, where we turned around because Oren was concerned about his knee.  The ride out was aided by a steady tailwind, which made the ride back a real chore.  So we took it slow, stopping at the HaOgen junction to get coffee and juice and a rest.  On the way back from there, we rode through neighborhood streets (route identified as the 5700, not in such great condition) back to the 57, then the normal route back to the starting point.  Pace was generally low throughout the ride.

Avg speed = 15.3 mph. Total mileage = 27.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 133 bpm
Total elevation gain = 610'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3937874452
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/27347903830

12-13-2019 Ride

Solo ride on a cool, windy morning. Out via Ben Zvi and the 44 to Petachia, riding into that village, then turning around and heading back.  It was the stiffest headwind heading out that I had faced in a while, and I was slow as a result.  So the first part was a good workout.  On the way back, I kept up a high average speed, aided quite a bit by the tailwind but not doing much coasting.  Neaer home, I turned on Herzl and took it over to Kibbutz Galuyot, then home the normal way.  Felt okay on the ride, focused on getting some miles in and being back in the saddle.

Avg speed = 16.7 mph. Total mileage = 35.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 151 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1090'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3936862066
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/27337556814

11-30-2019 Ride

A curious day where the riding was harder than I expected.  Met Oren at normal starting spot and headed out to Hwy 4 to head north.  After the previous day's ride and playing badminton in the evening, maybe I was more tired.  Oren was riding fast, so we traded leads for most of the day, setting a faster pace than we typically ride.  Out to Hadera and beyond, to the 65, where we turned right onto the 6403.  I was half expecting that this was where we were going to stop for coffee, so it was a chore to continue riding for me.  A right on the 574 for a short downhill before turning onto the 581.  I was struggling to keep a pace, hanging with Oren but working at it.  Thankfully, we stopped not too much longer at a cafe for a coffee and chat about situation at HP Scitex.  It wasn't too much of a revival for me, as getting back on the bike and riding at speed was still tough.  Continued on the 581 until we turned onto the 5803, turning into the 5714.  Back to the 57, where we turned and headed back to Netanya, initially starting off at a slower pace but picking it up over time.  Then back to the starting point the normal way.  Average speed was decent, but level of personal effort needed to complete it was higher than expected.

Avg speed = 16.8 mph. Total mileage = 42.2 mi

Total elevation gain = 1050'

https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3920131231

11-29-2019 Ride

Solo ride in the morning, it was just a bit chilly at times in the first 45 min or so.  Simple route, out Ben Zvi and the 44 past Hwy 3, riding the gentle climb and then down to get to the gas station before the sharper climb, where I turned around and retraced my route.  There might have been a little bit of a headwind heading out and tailwind on the way back.  There were not steep climbs, but I kept my speed above 10 mph, and mostly above 11 mph on them.  Felt good throughout, although I could tell my legs were tired at the end.  Back in town, I turned on Shlabim and took it to Jaffa St, then to Kaufmann heading north to try and bring my total mileage to 50 mi.  Back toward Yafo and a little bit of riding through the neighborhoods to get home.

Avg speed = 16.9 mph. Total mileage = 50.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 155 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2040'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3918957595
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/27038890771

11-22-2019 Ride

A generally casual ride out Ben Zvi and the 44, on impulse taking the Lod turnoff and riding through what I can only guess was the industrial, non-photogenic sections of south Lod.  On Yoseftal St, turns into Sderot Hativat Yiftach, then veers east and becomes Sderot David HaMelech, which took me to the 40.  I headed north, continuing on the 46 until I turned onto the 4613 to connect back to the 40.  Rode over to the 461, heading back home the normal way via the 412 to the 44 and Ben Zvi.  Back end of this ride was faster than the front end.  Later on, we headed over to Palmahim Beach for a one-night camping stay.

Avg speed = 17.0 mph. Total mileage = 32.5 mi
Avg heartrate = 142 bpm
Total elevation gain = 750'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3908904781
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/26919758053

11-15-2019 Ride

Solo ride in the morning, heading out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40.  I could feel a headwind on the way out, which slowed me down somewhat.  At the 40, I headed north to the 443, then out toward Ben Shemen and Modi'in.  It's a gradual climb, and I was feeling good on this stretch.  Out until I got to the turnoff for Modi'in West, where I turned around and retraced my route.  Fast back to the 40, and also fairly fast on the 40.  I had a good pace on the 44 back home as well. aided by a noticeable tailwind.  Legs felt fine, although my heartrate was a little higher than I would have expected.

Avg speed = 18.2 mph. Total mileage = 42.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 148 bpm
Total mileage = 1560'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3898484473
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/26737200860

2019 Shanti Ride

It was a good day on the bicycle.  I rode the Shanti Ride with Zvika, Dror, Nir Gilon, and Asi Katz as port of an HP Indigo team (with custom jerseys).  We started from that new parking lot near the Etzel House, heading over to Kibbutz Galuyot and then to Shlabim.  All roads were closed to traffic for the ride, which made it much safer (at least from cars) and nicer.  On to the 20, where the pace started to pick up from a very slow start.  Onto Hwy 4 going south, which we stayed on for longer than I remembered from 2 years ago.  About 25 miles into the ride, we turned onto the 232, and rode to mile 27, where there was the first rest stop.  The weather was ideal, cloudy with no real wind to speak of.  After the break, we continued on, starting with a very minor little climb.  Past Sderot and down to Sa'ad, where there was a short section on the 25 before continuing on the 232.  Down to Beeri, near the forest where Ann and I went awhile back to see the Darom Adom.  This second rest stop was at about mile 53, and the food was more sparse than I had remembered from last time.  Weather was still cooperating.  In each section, I was able to catch up to the lead car and ride at its pace with the front group.  Seemed slower though than last time, I don't think my fitness level was so much better.  After the break we continued on the 232 until we split off onto the 222 just past Magen.  Not much yet in climbing, so the riding was relatively easy.  Next rest stop was at about mile 73.  Somewhere in this section, I lost several miles of tracking on my MapMyRide workout, even though the route is fairly accurate.  Still feeling good, but anticipating the climbing to come.  However, the next stretch, although generally inclining, was a good one for me, as I wasn't really feeling it and kept up with the front of the ride.  At some point just before we got to the 40, we took a little jog on side roads to the next rest stop, which happened around mile 94.  This section seemed to have modest climbs but a little wavy to allow for some recovery.  This last rest stop was a little longer, because the day was warming up (they gave us popsicles!) and the next stretch had the sharpest climbs.  When I got off my bike here, I could feel it in my quads.  So during the rest I massaged my legs a little and stayed in the shade, hoping that it wouldn't get worse.  Back on the bike and onto the 40, which had a series of very modest climbs, each one generally followed by a flat or slight downhill section that helped with recovery.  While the sun was now out, I wasn't noticing it so much, it wasn't hot.  I was able to keep up a decent pace and catch up with the lead car after a couple of the uphills, probably because it was going slowly on the descents.  After I caught up, I was generally able to stay with the pack, which felt good.  Legs were holding out.  At the final short stop, we met up with kids and adults from Bet HaShanti for the last stretch riding together.  It was inspiring, and the pace was pretty easy to keep up with.  The turnoff for the Desert Shanti House is not so far past that pretty overlook facing Ein Avdat and Ben Gurion's desert home.  I felt good all the way to the end, riding at the very end up the drive to the finish line next to a guy galloping on a horse.  I rode past the pace car, and I think I was the first one under the finish arch, for whatever that's worth.  Bike loaded onto a truck, a quick shower and a change, then a surprisingly good dinner on a beautiful evening.  After the program, which was too long and talked too much about how well the ride was planned and executed (it was, by the way), we got on the bus heading back to Tel Aviv around 5:40, and ride back took a couple of hours.

We made it back to the starting point before all of the trucks carrying the bikes, so I had to wait until my truck showed up.  It was a total balagan unloading the bikes, reaching the point where unclaimed bikes that needed to be unloaded to get to others were just put on the grass or leaned against a tree.  I hope everybody got their bikes back okay.  I finally had to climb into the truck, don't know where the unloaders had gone to, and get my own bike, which survived the ride back okay.

On this ride, I was intentional about pacing myself in the early going, trying to stay in a steady cadence instead of riding hard and then slowing down.  It really paid off in the latter sections, where my legs were relatively fresh and I could keep my pace pretty much where I wanted it to be.

Avg speed = 15.5 mph. Total mileage = 109.7 mi
Avg heartrate = 140 bpm
Total elevation gain = 4150'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3889841320
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/26586172910

11-08-2019 Ride

Solo, easy and short ride to limber up for the big day tomorrow.  Out Ben Zvi and the 44 to Ramla, where I turned right and rode a little bit through the town to get over to the 40.  Then back to the 44, retracing my route home, using Shlabim to get over to Shalma and then the bike lane down Yerushalaim.  Faster on the return than I expected, but still a slow pace for me.

Avg speed = 17.0 mph. Total mileage = 25.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 136 bpm
Total elevation gain = 720'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3888099421
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/26584692917

11-02-2019 Ride

Short ride with Oren, starting from Netanya, getting out of the city the normal way, then heading south this time on Hwy 4, right into a steady headwind.  We turned off the freeway by a prison and then rode through Bnei Zion, a little community we have ridden through before, where a lot of cyclist practice.  Once through the neighborhood, and then a couple of more out-and backs on the straight road leading into it.  Then we headed out the 551, going west  and getting caught in a light sprinkle, a little weird since the rain clouds were not directly overhead.  Down to a road running parallel to Hwy 2, which we took north to Yakum to stop for coffee at an Arcafe there.  Neither one of us was feeling high-energy, so we decided to take the shorter route back to the starting point, riding on the side lane of Hwy 2 until the Poleg Interchange, where we got off and took the street that goes by the Tiv Tam.  From there, the way back to my car was straightforward.  Not a fast ride, but I could definitely tell that my legs were still feeling it from the previous day.

Avg speed = 15.8 mph. Total mileage = 29.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 132 bpm
Total elevation gain = 680'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3878227993
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/26432740741

11-01-2019 Ride

Long ride on this day to prepare for next week's Shanti ride.  During the night, I thought about what route to take and made a rough, slightly incorrect estimate that it would be about 82 or 83 miles.  I was off by about 6 miles.  Headed out, starting at 5:30, via Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40, heading south.  It was nice, temperature-wise, for much of this ride, a little cool at the start.  I was riding a decent pace on the 40, not pushing too hard.  All the way down to the 35, where I turned and rode by Kiryat Gat.  So I can now say I have ridden to Kiryat Gat and back.  The road started to tilt up slightly near KG, and then past Hwy 6 it got steeper.  Road was under construction with no riding lane for a stretch, so that was nerve-wracking.  By this time, I was on the 38.  It seemed like a long time before I got to Bet Guvrin, You drop down into Bet Guvrin, then climb gradually to the highest point in the ride.  I was about 50 miles in, so I stopped here and had some cake and water for a short break.  From here, it was generally downhill with some flats until a couple of climbs, one about a mile long and the other shorter and steeper..  Back to the 44 and the usual climbs and downhills.  The wind was really strange on this day.  Sometimes I felt it helping me along, but it shifted into a headwind as I got closer to home, so that slowed me down.  My legs felt okay, they responded when I would stand up on the pedals.  A little complaint from my hamstrings, but it didn't have any real effect.  By this time, I was done with pushing hard on the pedals, content to maintain a steady cadence and get home.  Felt fine at the end, here's hoping it's a good sign for next week.

By the way, I put my Fitbit in power-conservation mode, and at some point before I got to Kiryat Malakhi it ended the ride.  I didn't notice until I stopped for my break, so I just logged another ride for the last 37 miles.

Avg speed = 17.2 mph. Total mileage = 88.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 151 bpm (est.)
Total elevation gain = 3950'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3876958357

10-26-2019 Ride

After no success in organizing a ride with either Zvika or Oren, I ended up riding solo on a simple route, out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 38 and then south.  I started out a little faster than usual, given the planned length of the ride.  About 30-40 minutes into the ride, I started to feel an occasional raindrop.  It got a little more noticeable on the climbing section of the 44, but at that point it didn't really get to the point where the road was wet enough to raise a rooster tail.  I briefly considered heading back, but it wasn't really raining yet, so I continued.  This was the periodic situation for the rest of the ride, never real rain, more very light sprinkles and evidence on the road toward the end of recent heavier rain that made the road wet.  All things considered, it helped out by keeping the weather cool.  I rode on the 38 out to a little past mile 38, coming up to a minor hill crest and turning around at that point.  The ride back on the 38 was pretty nice, mostly downhill with just a couple of short, steeper climbing spots. Toward the end of the ride, I noticed that my watch had run out of battery, which was really frustrating (only a partial workout summary shown below, not sure where the average speed came from).  There were also a couple of times where my cyclocomputer quit registering speed, on faster downhills, where the magnet sensor got pushed up the spoke.  Again, frustrating.  Finally, the workout from MapMyRide didn't sync, so I had to enter it manually, which was a minor pain.  May be time finally to move to Strava.  Alas, these are truly first-world problems.  Home via Bloomfield Stadium, finishing ride before I walked my bike across Yerushalayeem.  This was the first ride during my training where I didn't feel like I ran out of energy during the ride.  I was slower toward the end and didn't have as much push in my legs as I would have wanted, but I felt generally okay.  No real issues with leg muscles, even when I stood up to push harder at times.

Avg speed = 16.3 mph. Total mileage = 77.0 mi
Avg heartate = 147 bpm (est.)
Total elevation gain = 4320'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3867518161/
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/26253404565

10-25-2019 Ride

Short ride in anticipation of a longer ride on Saturday.  From Ben Zvi over to Kibbutz Galuyot, then out to the 461 and then to the 40.  I was slow on this first section (legs felt tired at the start), lots of traffic and the wind seemed to be working against me.  A little bit better heading south on the 40, where I generally kept up a good pace.  On the way home via the 44, the wind was mostly helping me out, so I rode quite fast.  I did take a little detour to Kfar Habad, for a couple of extra miles.  This road looks like it could eventually get me over to the 412, so that is a future route possibility.

Avg speed = 17.5 mph. Total mileage = 31.4 mi
Avg heartrate = 134 bpm
Total elevation gain = 720'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3866060452
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/26247298988

10-21-2019 Ride

This was a tough ride to motivate myself to do.  I knew I needed the miles, but it was a chore.  My conciliation was that I decided to keep a low pace, around 16 mph average as the target.  It didn't help that I found a major hole in the tread on my rear tire and had to change it before starting out.  Better at home than on the road.  Headed out Ben Zvi and the 44, wind calm and a nice morning, overcast.  Turned onto the 424 and rode this gradual uphill route to Latrun, feeling okay while not pushing it.  Then I rode Hwy 3 down to the 44 and turned toward Bet Shemesh.  After the first little climb, I stopped for a short break and ate a banana.  Continued on to the intersection with the 38, that moderate climb was a particular chore on this day.  To get a little extra distance, I took the road toward Tsuba but turned around at the roundabout and headed back.  The first climb wasn't so bad, just slow but my legs felt okay, not a lot of push in them.  The coasting downhill from this point was nice.  At the gas station by Hwy 3, I stopped for another break, filled up on an energy bar and some cold flavored water.  Even still, I was slower than I wanted on the climb past the intersection.  I started to notice that the wind was not helping, maybe directed more into my face than I wanted.  As I continued the ride, my pace slowed and the wind seemed to pick up.  It wasn't heavy, but it was noticeable, and it got steadier as I rode toward the coast.  Within the last 2 or 3 miles, I could really feel its effects.  Back home via Shlabim to Kibbutz Galuyot, ending up right at 60 miles and 16 mph average.

Avg speed = 16.0 mph. Total mileage = 60.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 146 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2940'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3858944410
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/26170825948

10-20-2019 Ride

Solo ride on a Sunday morning, still on holiday.  Out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40, taking a steady pace, not so fast but not so slow.  Decent speed on the way out to that point.  Headed south on the 40 to the 411, then rode to Hulda and beyond to Hwy 3, turning left and taking it the short distance back to the 44.  I was aiming for 50 miles total, so I turned right on the 44 and headed up the first gradual climb to a turnoff toward Tslafon and Gizo, two small communities.  It was generally uphill, so that slowed me down.  Got to a suitable turnaround point and rode back to the 44, then toward home.  The ride back was okay.  I could feel the weariness in my legs, but they generally held up.  Not much of a wind to speak of.  Got back home, and I was really hungry, again not eating anything during the ride.

Avg speed = 17.5 mph. Total mileage = 49.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 145 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1690'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3857241274
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/26114077813

10-19-2019 Ride

Ride with Oren and Slavik from normal starting point in Netanya.  We headed out to Hwy 4 the normal way and rode north.  I was intent on keeping my pace nominal, so I rode at the same pace as the others for nearly all of this ride, enough so that we were able to form a loose pace line for much of it, and that helped our overall average speed, I think.  We rode north until we had about 18 miles, then turned around and retraced our route, back toward the start and continuing on to the Arcaffe in Netanya for a break before finishing up.  Felt good on the ride, no extra strength to push the pace toward the second half of the ride, but that was okay, considering not having ridden in a couple of weeks.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 39.0 mi
Avg heartrate (without AutoPause) = 137 bpm
Total elevation gain = 490'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3855821158/
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/26114576235

10-08-2019 Run

Posted long after this run, but I kinda remember it.  We were staying at an AirBnB in Barcelona, and I went out for a run with a general idea about where I wanted to go.  Headed up to the Rambla de Catalunya and turned right, heading down this boulevard for a while before turning around and heading back.  On the way back, I got lost and rambled around until I finally found my way back to the starting point.

Total distance = 3.17 mi

Avg pace = 9:49

Elevation gain = 109'

https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3836284216

10-05-2019 Ride

Simple route, long ride.  Headed out while it was still dark on Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40, then turned south and kept riding until the turnoff toward Kiryat Gat.  Felt good on the first half of the ride, even though there were a couple of very slight uphill sections nearer to the turnaround point.  It helped me on the way back, and I made good time all the way back to Gedera.  From there I slowed down as my lack of fitness showed up, even though I had made an effort to stop a couple of times and have something to eat.  So it was slower than I would have liked getting back to the 44, not helped by a headwind that was fairly steady from the general north.  Even when I turned onto the 44, the headwind and my lack of push made it a slow pace for the rest of the ride.  Lots more work to do to increase my fitness and get ready for this ride.

Avg speed = 17.5 mph. Total mileage = 74.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 153 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2030'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3830955859
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/25767360870

10-04-2019 Ride

Easy solo ride in the morning, after having Maxim the bike mechanic lubricate my headset, bottom bracket, seat post, and hubs.  No more squeaks, and maybe I could tell it rolled a little easier.  Simple loop out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40, over to the 4610, then back to the 44 via the 412.  Home from there the normal way.  I tried to keep a steady pace but didn't really push it, knowing that I have a longer ride planned for Saturday.  Nice weather for a ride, not so hot but not cool.

I rode using my old shoes while the new ones were being repaired, after the sole separated on my right shoe.  The repair looked very good when I picked them up later in the morning.  Here's hoping that it holds.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 30.8 mi
Avg heartrate = 139 bpm
Total elevation gain = 700'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3829169659
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/25724883538

09-30-2019 Ride

It was a simple plan, head out 30 miles, turn around and ride back.  I started out at slow pace and never really got into a groove.  Out Ben Zvi and the 44, quiet streets on this Rosh HaShana.  It seemed like I had a little headwind on the way out, and I didn't mind because I figured I would need the help on the way back.  Out to Hwy 3, feeling okay but slow.  On the first moderate little climb past the highway, I was able to keep it above 10 mph the whole way, but it was an effort near the end.  Not so good on the second climb, where I started slow and got even slower when the incline increased.  This is when I should have realized I was low in energy.  Out to the 38, heading south to the point where there is a fairly short, steep downhill.  I didn't want to climb back up, so I turned around and rode back to the 3835, turning here to get a little more distance in.  Off this road is the Teperberg Winery, but it looks pretty industrial.  Retraced my route back to the 38, and I was slow from here all the way back home.  All the climbs were a chore, no legs cramping but no push at all.  And that tailwind I was hoping for was much more of a headwind, no help at all and somewhat of a hindrance.  Even the coasting downhill sections seemed slow, and I was definitely in "just make it to the end" mode.  By the time I realized I was low-energy, I just figured there wasn't any real benefit in stopping to get something to eat.  So I suffered on the way back.  Really happy to get to the end, but it seemed anticlimatic, since I had been awaiting it for the last half of the ride.  Definitely need a different strategy for getting calories during such rides, this was not a good day.

Avg speed = 15.6 mph. Total mileage = 60.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 139 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2730'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3821427892
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/25639057193

09-29-2019 Ride

Solo ride, able to get up and rolling just a little after 6:30.  Out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 412, not really feeling any strong headwind (more on this later).  Rode through Rishon LeTsion and turned on the 4311 to go out to Palmahim.  Pretty good time on this stretch.  At the beach, there were a huge number of tents set up, so my idea of camping out there this week isn't a good one.  On the way back, I was a little slower, but my pace was still decent.  I turned right onto the 412 and took it over to Kalman Shor St, which roughly parallels the 431 for a while.  It has an annoying little grade to it, and I was slow on this stretch.  Then I turned left onto the 4313, which took me back to the 44.  But I wanted more distance, so I turned right and rode through Ramla on Sderot Herzl, slowly because of poor road quality and traffic lights.  Then back over to the 44 by the train station and heading back toward home.  Initial stretch on this road was a little slow, but once I got over the new bridge just past Ramla, the tailwind really picked me up.  I averaged over 20 mph for the next 7 miles or so, only slowing down when I got back into town and more traffic lights.  I lost a water bottle hitting a pothole going under the 20, but I stopped and was able to pick it up off the road.  Quite a workout on the way back to keep my pace high, again with the aid of a good tailwind.

Avg speed = 17.9 mph. Total mileage = 41.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 143 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1467'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3819604840
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/25621122784

09-28-2019 Ride

Solo ride, initially, leaving from usual Netanya parking lot by Oren's home and heading out through the neighborhood to the 57 and then up to Hwy 4.  I headed south for a little bit before turning around at a gas station, riding counter to traffic flow for this little stretch to get back to the 57, not so safe feeling.  Then it was back to starting spot, waiting a couple of minutes for Oren to show up, then riding over to meet Slavik and head back the same way.  Only we turned north and rode up to the 581, which is becoming a familiar road.  Oren's pace on this ride was faster than he had been riding recently, so I generally rode at his pace, occasionally faster on the little climbs.  On the northbound stretch of the 581, we rode in a pace line, the three of us, and that was generally faster.  Up to the 574 for a very small climb before we turned onto the 6403, which is a nice little stretch of road.  Over to the 65, which we took back to Hwy 4.  Here, I dialed my pace back, since Slavik was falling back and I didn't want to lose contact with him.  We rode at a more moderate pace back through Hadera, then a little faster for the rest of the section on Hwy 4, but it was disjointed, not very organized in rotating through leads.  Back to the 57, staying on it a little longer to ride over to Landower for a quick break before returning to the starting point.  Legs felt fine at the end of this 50 mile ride, but I was hungry.  Again, I need to figure out a plan for fueling during longer rides.

MapMyRide app on my phone hasn't been working so well lately with auto starting and stopping.  Luckly, Fitbit app is a good substitute.

Avg speed = 17.0  Total distance = 49.7 mi
Avg heartrate = 135 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1170'
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/25572366888

09-27-2019 Ride

Easy solo ride, getting a late start.  Headed out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40, then back through downtown Ramla and retracing my route until Herzel St, where I took a right and rode over to Kibbutz Galuyot.  Then home the normal way.  Nothing really special about the ride, I didn't push the pace really at all.

Avg speed = 16.7 mph. Total mileage = 24.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 132 bpm
Total elevation gain = 740'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3816206233
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/25572164500

09-21-2019 Ride

I saw early in the morning that Oren had proposed riding, but there weren't any further details.  So I proactively drove up past Netanya, near Hadera, and hung out for a while.  He sent me a text aligning on meeting location and time (later than I had guessed by about an hour), so we met by an Aroma in Pardes Hana-Karkur, me, Oren, and Rotem.  Got started around 7:15, heading north on the 652 to get to the 653, which goes through Giv'at Ada, where we had started a ride about a month ago.  We turned left onto the 6533, then right onto this other road that we had ridden before and took us to the turnoff to get onto the Golani military base.  Weather was cooperative for most of this ride, cooler, and a little cloudy, with lower humidity than the previous day.  Through the military base, continuing to the 672, which we took north to climb up to Dalya.  Then we turned right onto the 6953 for a short climb up to Ein HaShofet.  A 10-minute rest there before we retraced our route.  This time, I was in better shape and also not as worn out, so I made decent time on the return trip, getting out ahead of the others on the little climbing sections.  There weren't a lot of long climbs on this ride, but much of it was up and down, not so many flat sections.  After we exited the military base, I slowed down to match the pace of the others, except for a little climb not so long after.  The last couple of miles were significantly slower, as I was riding at Oren's pace, and he was ready to be done.  The cafe wasn't open when we got back, so we went to another Aroma place not too far away.  Felt really good at the end of this ride, it was a workout but not one where I overextended myself.

Avg speed = 15.2 mph. Total mileage = 36.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 136 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2220'
https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/2696252170
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/25395027723

09-20-2019 Ride

Solo ride in the morning, I was a little surprise at myself for being able to get up at 5:30 to start riding at 6:00, when it was still dark.  Headed out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 412, turning left to get to the 461 and the 40.  It was cloudy at the start, although I could feel the humidity.  No real wind to speak of at the start.  I rode to the end of the 44 and then turned onto the 55 to get more miles in.  This road has a little hill that gets steeper at the end, and I took it to the top and then rode downhill past it.  There is a roundabout right before what looked like a security checkpoint, and that's where I turned around to retrace my route.  On the way back, I didn't have to battle the wind, so I think my pace was a little higher than usual.  I felt okay on this ride, but I was really tired later in the day, and my legs were tired.  By the latter part of the ride back, the sun was out a little bit, and it was really humid, more that I remember being affected by it in some time.

It was the first ride with my replacement Fitbit, which I received earlier in the week.  Whoohoo!

Avg speed = 17.5 mph. Total mileage = 52.9 mi
Avg heartrate (Fitbit) = 146 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1290'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3802732078
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/25403348239

09-14-2019 Ride

Solo ride, after initially planning to meet Oren, who was not feeling well.  After two days of faster rides, my aims were modest here.  Faster average speed than 16 mph, about 35 miles.  So I headed out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 412, heading northeast to the 4610 and then the 40.  North to Petah Tikva, riding past the turnoff to continue on the 40.  By the time I got to the 412, my average speed was 14.4 mph, so that was a slow start.  I picked up the pace after this.  I also found that the road in Petah Tikva doesn't continue for very much longer past the 40 turnoff, so I turned around and retraced my route.  Not much help from the wind on this day, since it wasn't doing much that I could detect.  On the way back, once on Ben Zvi, I turned right onto Lavon St, which took me to Shalma, and from there it was the normal way back home.

Avg speed = 17.0 mph. Total mileage = 35.0 mi
Total elevation gain = 750'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3790410808

09-13-2019 Ride

Solo ride from home, getting started at 6:30.  Headed out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 424, taking it up to Kfar Bin-Nun and turning around before the little downhill.  I originally intended to ride at a moderate pace, but I was feeling good and made good progress on the gradual slight grade on the 424 until the turnaround point.  When I turned around, it seemed like I had more of a tailwind than any headwind I had felt on the way out, and so I was riding fast on the way back.  Averaged almost 21 mph on the return, and I never really felt like I was pushing myself all out.

Avg speed = 18.2 mph. Total mileage = 40.8 mi
Total elevation gain = 1150'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3788738095

09-12-2019 Ride

Solo ride in the morning from work, parking behind Ilan Ramon building and starting around 6:00. I headed out Menachem Begin to the 40,then turned south to get to the 411. Headed southeast on this road which has a very gentle slope upward that gets slightly steeper at times. Out to where it tees into Hwy 3,where I turned around and retraced my route. Still hearing some noise in my drivetrain, so maybe I need somebody to look at my bottom bracket. Ugh!

Avg speed = 18.1 mph. Total mileage = 24.8 mi
Avg heartrate = 148 bpm (!)
Total elevation gain = 860'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3786789940

09-07-2019 Ride

Ride with Oren, Slavik, and Rotem, leaving from usual starting place in Netanya.  Met Slavik shortly after, and we headed over to Hwy 4, heading north.  After a rolling start, we kept a pretty good pace.  We rode past the 581, looking for Rotem at the intersection and not seeing him.  Turns out he was waiting at the bus stop on the 581, so we circled back and connected with him.  East on the 581 to the 5803, where Slavik turned back and we continued riding east.  For a stretch, the three of us kept up a loose pace line, riding to the 574 and then turning left onto the 6403, riding just past the 65 intersection to stop at an Aroma for a break.  After the stop we headed back to Hwy 4 via the 65, where Rotem headed back home and we turned south.  A somewhat slow pace through Hadera, then Oren and I picked it up a little bit on the way back to Netanya.  My legs were still feeling it from the previous day's ride, so I couldn't push it very much.  Cool-down section on the last 2 miles back to the car.

Avg speed = 16.3 mph. Total mileage = 42.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 136 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1080'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3776569750

09-06-2019 Ride

Ride from Nachshon junction, meeting Zvika and starting around 6:00.  We headed out the 44 toward the 38, and I did okay on the two little climbs.  Then we turned onto the 3855 to get over to the 3866 and the climb up to Nes Harim.  It was brutal, just so steep that I couldn't keep up a steady cadence and just plugged along.  I knew it would be tough, I haven't been riding hills or long distances to build up my endurance and muscle strength.  From there we rode down the Tsur Hadassah grade, a long downhill with some really fast sections, to the 375, where we turned and kept the downhill going, although at just a slight gradient.  Then it was a short climb up to Aderet, which looks over the Ela Valley, before we turned around the headed back to the 375.  From there to the 38, and I've ridden this road a number of times.  The gradual climb was bad at the start but I finished better than I thought I would.  The sharper, short climb was one I was able to punch through, not so bad but it probably did a number on my leg muscles, so there wasn't a lot left.  A short stop in Bet Shemesh for a candy bar and a little rest before finishing up.  I was slow, plodding, up the climb on the 44, then I just rode without a lot of push in my legs to finish up the ride.  Only a brief moment or two on that last climb where I felt a twinge in my right hamstring, but it didn't turn into anything.  In any case, I was glad I didn't have much more distance to cover by the end.

Avg speed = 14.5 mph. Total mileage = 46.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 151 bpm
Total elevation gain = 4780'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3774889120

09-02-2019 Ride

Solo ride leaving from work, first time I tried it.  I got up early and was on the road by 6:00, although it was still a little dark.  Headed out Begin to the 40 and turned left.  Some traffic but not so bothersome.  I rode over to the 44 and headed southeast.  Felt generally good on the little climbs, not so much wind in play.  Rode to Hwy 3 and headed south to get to the 411.  After a little climb it was mostly flat to slightly downhill, so I made good time on the return.  Back to the 40, heading toward Rehovot.  I turned right onto the road just before the turn back toward work to get a couple of extra miles in.  Fast on the last stretch as well, again a slight downhill but more traffic and sketchy road near the curb.  Although I had a good average speed on this ride, my legs didn't feel all that strong.  I took a shower at work, which was a big help.

Avg speed = 18.3 mph. Total mileage = 30.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 141 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1130'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3766300780

08-24-2019 Ride

Solo ride in the morning, didn't hear from Oren the previous day.  I headed north on the main road by the coast up to Rokach Blvd, which eventually turned northeast into the 482.  This was a fairly casual pace, lots of lights and no real incentive from me to push it.  It was quite muggy, energy-sapping in a way.  This road dead-ends into the old town center area of Herzliya, so I backtracked a little bit and got onto the 541, heading east and then turning north, riding until this road petered out, whereby I turned right onto Weizman St.  This road generally headed east and then southeast, and after I got into Kfar Saba I made my way over to the 55, riding back to the 40 and then heading back home the way I've gone before, although a lot slower.  No drive in my legs, and the wind was generally working against me, no matter whether I was riding south or west.  Back to the 461, where I turned and stayed on this road, stopping at a Paz station for a Pepsi and Snickers bar to give me some energy for the last little stretch.  My legs felt okay, just no real push in them or mentally to deliver a higher effort.  Back home via Kibbutz Galuyot route, glad to be done on a ride that was longer than I had originally planned.

Avg speed = 15.3 mph. Total mileage = 38.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 135 bpm (est)
Total elevation gain = 1000'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3748685545

08-23-2019 Ride

Solo ride after being out late the previous evening seeing Tom Yaar.  Not a lot of sleep.  Route out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40, then heading southwest to the 411, taking it southeast.  This road has a general upward slope, getting a little steeper by the Barkan Winery.  I rode out to the last of the climb and turned around before it dropped down to Hwy 3.  Thought it was around 25 miles at the turnaround but my cyclometer malfunctioned and had an extra mile or so on it.  The return on the 411 was fast, with perhaps a slight tailwind and the downhill to help.  Back to the 40, then to the 44, where I didn't feel any help from a tailwind and actually had some headwind as I got closer to home.  It was quite humid and that sapped my energy.  So, all in all, not a fast ride on a relatively flat route.

Avg speed = 16.9 mph. Total mileage = 47.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 142 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1380'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3746861977

08-17-2019 Ride

Well, this was a strange day.  I met Oren and his friend Eyal near a Sonol station in Giv'at Ada, since Eyal wanted to do some climbing.  The ride started out fine, as we headed west on the 653 to the 654, which I had ridden once before with Oren.  This road is really nice for riding, and a lot of cyclists ride out here.  We rode to the 6533 and up to Amikam. Eyal is a climber, and he rode right with me.  We turned onto the 6533, which has a gradual climbing section. Then we turned onto a road that doesn't have a number, at least on MapMyRide, and took it to a Golani military unit training camp.  This section was up and down, and by this time Eyal and I agreed to ride ahead and wait for Oren at some later spot.  The road was rolling hills, and the rollers got more pronounced as we continued by the military base.  We rode to Giv'at HaRakafot and got onto the 672, where the climbing got more serious, again in a rolling sort of way.  Past Elyakim, we entered a forest area where the grade got steeper.  Except for a couple of times, I was able to hang with Eyal, who was faster on some grades, particularly the really steep ones.  We finally rode up to Daliyat el Carmel, and I thought we were done with the climbing, but Eyal took us around the city, heading mostly down until a last, really steep section that just killed me.  By this time, I was running out of water and energy, but I thought we were close to done, since Oren had indicated the ride would be about 60 km.  The downhill was quite fast in some places and relatively easy to ride, not so technical.  But after we got back to the rollers, I was toasted and really, really slow on any kind of uphill.  Kinda embarrassing.  We got back to the military training camp, and I had to stop.  I really thought I was done.  By a crazy coincidence, Oren was waiting right by this spot, and there was water to refill my empty bottles.  So I sat in the shade for about 5 minutes, had a couple of dates and rehydrated.  After that I was good to go, although still slow on the uphills.  Oren stayed with me, which helped my motivation.  And it turned out that we were closer to the finish than I thought.  Since it was generally downhill, I was able to get back without too much difficulty, getting something like a second wind.  Back to the 6533, turning left and getting to the 653 for a short stretch back to the starting point.

For any future rides with this much exertion, I am going to need to bring some kind of food and maybe even some kind of energy drink.  And I have to be in better shape.  After the ride, we stopped at a little cafe and ate fried cauliflower.  So, there was that.

Avg speed = 14.2 mph. Total mileage 49.9 mi
Total elevation gain = 3840'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3734512462

08-16-2019 Ride

Ride after a fairly long day coming back from Tzfat, stopping at the Mount of the Beatitudes (okay, nice grounds, not really memorable), Tabor Winery (wines were so-so, IMHO), and Tsippori (the mosaics were simply fantastic).  So I got up at 6:00 and was on the road by around 6:30.  A regular route out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 412, then the 461 to the 40.  At the start of the ride, I was fairly slow.  At the highway intersections with the 20, a bus came by me really close and I ran out of road, having to slow and falling over slowly.  Luckily, no real damage, just frustration.  Heading north, the usual tailwind wasn't there, but I made okay time.  Out to the 55, taking it a little further to Neve Yamin, where I turned, rode through a couple of roundabouts, and then started retracing my route.  On the way back, the wind was generally more favorable, although it was never a big push.  On this ride, I generally felt good, the weather was not as humid until I got back closer to the coast, and I think I avoided really high temperatures.  I didn't really push myself, and I was still fairly fresh at the end.  Although when I got home, it took me some time to cool down, and I was really thirsty.

Avg speed = 17.4 mph. Total mileage = 45.4 mi
Avg heartrate (no pausing) = 135 bpm
Total elevation gain = 860'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3732669709

08-10-2019 Ride

Got up really early to go to Netanya and ride with Oren, who indicated he wanted a short ride.  So I was going to put some miles in before I met with him.  On the way, he texted and said he wasn't planning to ride, so I decided to drive to Pedaya and start from there instead.  At the start of the ride, it was actually a little cool, and generally the temperature was manageable.  Out the 44 toward Bet Shemesh, turning onto the 38 and riding southwest past the turn toward Nes Harim.  At the next opportunity, I turned left and rode through an industrial section of north Bet Shemesh, connecting to the 3855 and continuing on in a southeasterly direction.  It was a general uphill, not so steep but not much relief.  Another rider came along and passed me, so I got on his wheel and rode for a while, including taking leads.  We rode together to the top of this gradual grade, then I kept going without stopping on a downhill section that took me to the 375, where I turned around and retraced my route.  I felt fine, but was slow on the climb just after the turn onto the 44, so I need more hill training to get into any kind of shape for riding hills.  The downhill section to finish was fun.

Avg speed = 16.2 mph. Total mileage = 34.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 142 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2710'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3720167719

08-09-2019 Ride

Solo ride from home after a late night at Regina's house wishing her a farewell.  I was slow on this ride, not so motivated by anything other than to get some miles in.  Out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 412, heading northeast to the 461 and then to the 40.  I rode out to Petah Tikva and turned around at the turn for the 40.  Then I basically retraced my route back home.  The wind was noticeable on this ride, and I found myself fighting it on about half of the ride.

Avg speed = 16.2 mph. Total mileage = 33.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 127 bpm
Total elevation gain = 710'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3718351906

08-03-2019 Ride

Ride with Oren from Netanya, standard route over to Hwy 4 and heading north.  We rode up to the 581 and turned inland, riding to the 5803 and taking it to the 5714.  Oren started the ride fast, especially the stretch heading north when the wind was at our backs.  Even after, he was pushing himself harder, and our pace was faster as a result.  We rode to the 57 and started back, and by this point he was starting to slow down.  We turned left onto the 582, and he really slowed down here.  So our pace was lower as we got to the 553 and headed toward Netanya.  This time, we stayed on the 553 to Hwy 2, which we took north for a short stretch before exiting by a mall and stopping for a break.  Then we rode back to the starting point via the stadium.  Generally a good ride for me, although I was getting tired at the end.

Avg speed = 17.0 mph. Total mileage = 35.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 138 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1010'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3705546178

08-02-2019 Ride

Solo ride, after a restless night's sleep, and that restlessness continued into the ride.  Work-related stuff.  It was a simple out and back on Ben Zvi and the 44, riding generally into the wind on the way out, to the top of the hill before it descends down to Hwy 3.  The ride back was generally fast with a steady tailwind, in some places quite fast.  Not too much traffic, since I got started a little after 6:00 and it wasn't a very long ride.  Felt generally okay with steady pace on the way out, but I didn't work as hard on the way back due to the wind assist.  Need a more consistent effort throughout a longer ride.

Avg speed = 17.6 mph. Total mileage = 37.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 146 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1230'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3703718872

07-27-2019 Ride

Ride with Oren and Slavik from normal starting point in Netanya.  Neither had been riding much recently, since they were on holiday.  So it was a shorter ride, made even shorter near the end because neither was feeling in good shape.  Out to Hwy 4 then normal way, then north to the 581, which we have taken many times.  Near the turn, I pushed the pace a little bit to stretch it out, felt okay but unable to keep it up in a sustained fashion.  Up to the 5803, where we turned and started heading back.  To the 5714, which eventually dead ends into the 57, leading back toward Netanya.  After this turn is when Oren suggested we make the ride shorter, so we rode back, stopping for juice at Landower.  It was a decent ride for me, a couple of small stretches where I felt okay, with an overall easy pace.

Avg speed = 16.1 mph. Total mileage = 30.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 126 bpm
Total elevation gain = 870'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3691060645

07-26-2019 Ride

Solo ride, a little slow getting out of the house, and I decided to take the pace easy throughout the ride.  Rode up via Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 4313, then took it into Nes Ziona, using Margolin St to get over to the 412.  Then I rode over to the office, parked in the back, and went in to have a cup of coffee.  After this short break, I headed back home via the 412 to the 44 and the normal way back.  I added a little riding up the coast when I got back to Jaffa, to put me over 30 miles.

Avg speed = 15.4 mph. Total mileage = 30.7 mi
Avg heartrate = 115 bpm
Total elevation gain = 940'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3689286781

07-20-2019 Ride

Solo ride in the morning, starting around 6:00.  Light traffic throughout.  Out to Palmahim and back, following the standard route of previous times.  No real wind on this ride, either helping or hindering.  At Palmahim, I saw a large number of camping tents, so it might be cool to stay there overnight, sleep near the beach.  Nothing special to say about the ride.  It was mostly overcast and muggy.  The previous day, I had mounted my heartrate monitor watch with the broken strap holder to my bike stem, and it worked out okay.  We'll see how the foam tape holds over time.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 32.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 148 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1230'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3677056180

07-19-2019 Ride

Solo ride in the morning, getting started a little after 6:00.  It was the standard loop out to the 40 via the 44, except that I took a detour through Ramla.  I didn't push the pace much throughout the ride, just trying to get back into the groove of riding after missing last weekend.  The section on the 40 went by quickly, helped by a general slight downhill slope and something of a tailwind.  The pushing wind usually present to help me home on the 44 and Ben Zvi was not as noticeable.

Later on in the day, I installed the heartrate monitor with the broken watchband holder on my handlebar stem.  We will see if it works. since it's held on with foam tape.  My Fitbit smartwatch died from a brief exposure to water when we floated in the water last weekend at Gan HaShlosha.

Avg speed = 16.7 mph.  Total mileage = 31.5 mi
Total elevation gain = 730'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3675418210

07-05-2019 Ride

Last-minute ride with Oren, planned on Friday morning after an exchange in the night.  We started around 7:00 and headed out to Hyw 4, going north.  I forgot my FitBit at home and so couldn't track the workout on this app.  Also, I didn't reset my cycle computer at the beginning, so I just have MapMyRide data.Through Hadera to the 651, this out part of the ride was really nice, with a steady tailwind helping us.  We turned east on the 651, riding up to the 652 and turning right before taking another left at a roundabout onto the 6502.  This road winds around and changes into the 6403 when it crosses Hwy 6.  Up to the 574, turning south for a short while before getting onto the 581, another winding road that leads all the way back to Hwy 4.  We stopped for coffee and a sandwich at Jacob's Cheeses, and I was a little worried that the headwind on the way back to Netanya was going to be a problem, especially after the stop.  However, it wasn't bad at all, maybe due to a wind shift and perhaps to a little better conditioning on my part.  In any case, I felt pretty good on this section, while Oren's knee started bothering him.  General retrace of route back to the starting point.  It was humid, but I wasn't too much affected until near the end.  All in all, the best I have felt and done on a longer ride in a while, also not too tired afterward.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 41.7 mi
Total elevation gain = 1130'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3646795951

07-06-2019 Ride

Solo ride from home out to the Nachson Junction and back, to get some distance and a little bit of climbing in.  On the way out, around mile 3 or so, a guy on the side of the road intentionally tried to spit on me.  That was a first, and really disquieting.  He was obviously angry about something, don't know what it was.  I made decent time on the way out, feeling a little bit of a headwind but nothing really challenging.  When I got to the climbing part, at one point I rode up to a couple who were going at a good pace on a small climb, and I hung with them long enough to drop one of them.  But I couldn't keep up with the other one, a guy.  I was able to catch and pass the others I met on the way out.  On the return, I also caught and passed a couple of riders on that little climb just before Karme Yosef, but I could feel my leg muscles tightening up at the top.  Luckily, from there it was much easier on the gradual downhill, no real difficulties afterward.  By the end of the ride, it was getting quite humid, and I was sweating a lot at the finish.

I also put a new battery into my cycling computer and reset the wheel diameter to 2100 mm as a way to get a better match to the GPS estimates from both Fitbit and MapMyRide.  Reset odometer to 0 mi as well.

Avg speed = 17.6 mph. Total mileage = 40.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 150 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1450'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3648458539
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/23392250051

07-04-2019 Ride

Posted long after this ride.  On the Fourth of July, I rode back to the office where they had processed my work visa to pick it up.  Generally similar route to the one I had taken in June to drop off my passport.

Avg speed = 11.3 mph. Total mileage = 9.1 mi

Total elevation gain = 280'

https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3644558632

06-29-2019 Ride

Solo ride from home in the morning while Laura was here for a visit, so I kept the distance lower.  Over to Kibbutz Galuyot and out to the 461, through some road construction but nothing major.  Again, there was a police checkpoint at the Ayalon but they didn't wave me down.  I could feel some wind working against me on the way out.  Rode to the 40 and headed south, where there was also something of a headwind.  There were two small groups of cyclists ahead that helped me increase my pace to try and catch, then pass, them.  So that made this stretch of the ride go more quickly.  Over to the 44, where the wind was more favorable on the way back.  When I got to Herzl St, I decided to head north into the southern part of the city, eventually making my way through Neve Tsedek and over to the coast.  Back home the new route.  Felt tired later in the day, even though it wasn't a big workout.  The last part was pretty slow, going through the city streets.

Avg speed = 16.7 mph. Total mileage = 31.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 144 bpm
Total elevation gain = 700'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3634495777
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/23211492756

06-28-2019 Ride

Solo ride out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40.  General plan was to ride into the wind on the way out so I could get an assist on the way back.  Headed south on the 40, riding out to the 411 before turning around and riding back.  The stretch on the 40 felt pretty good, riding both ways.  I missed my turn onto the 44 on the way back and ended up riding further before turning and going through the industrial section of Lod to get back to the 44.  Not so interesting, roads weren't good either.  Felt generally okay on the way back, able to make a couple of pushes of higher output.

Avg speed = 17.1 mph. Total mileage = 37.5 mi
Avg heartrate = 146 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1130'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3632789122
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/23190319982

06-22-2019 Ride

Ride with Oren and Slavik, starting from Netanya.  Oren originally proposed that we ride, slowly, 100km, but thankfully that didn't happen, although it was the longest ride I've had in a while.  We started out following a common route, riding over to Hwy 4 and heading north.  The wind wasn't so evident on the ride out, but pedaling was definitely easier.  Past Hadera until we turned off onto the 653, heading generally east until  we turned left onto the 654, which is a really nice road to ride on, not much traffic and good conditions.  Up to the 6533, which is also very nice, past Alona Park and through the village of Amikam, staying on the 6533 until it connected back to the 653.  We rode this back until we turned left onto the 652, which has a little uphill to it.  Then it was back to Hwy 4 via the 651, with perhaps a little bit of a cross tailwind to help out.  Once we turned south, the wind made the effort significantly harder.  Oren started to slow down, so I would ride ahead a little bit and then either slow down or wait for them to catch up.  Generally retracing our route back, although Slavik and I took the 5700 turnoff and then waited for Oren after the roads combined again.  Rode over for a break at Landwer, this is not a great place.  I pushed the pace a little bit on the return to my car, testing my legs to see how they were doing, and not too much problem.  This ride gave me a cardio workout for sure, not too much climbing but a good bit of sustained effort.

Avg speed = 16.1 mph. Total mileage = 53.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 141 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1520'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3620487457
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/23029087470

06-21-2019 Ride

Short ride after a late night going to a jazz concert by the Museum of Art and having a lot of trouble finding a bus to get back home.  So I rode out Ben Zvi and the 44, at a fairly slow pace, out to the 4313, which I had never ridden on before.  It takes you toward Nes Ziona, and right before the 431 I turned west and headed back to Rishon LeTsion and the 412 to get back to the 44.  Felt fine after starting, but my lower back was hurting later in the day, presumably from standing so much the previous evening.

Avg speed = 16.0 mph. Total mileage = 21.7 mi
Avg heartrate = 129 bpm
Total elevation gain = 720'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3618501760
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/23007895758

06-20-2019 Ride

Posted long after this ride.  Judging from the route, this looks like a ride up to the office where they processed my work visa.    Roads along the coast on the way up, then inland.

Avg speed = 9.7 mph. Total mileage = 8.9 mi

Total elevation gain = 280'

Avg heartrate = 121 bpm

https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3615240019

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/22969695825

06-15-2019 Ride

Ride from parking lot in Netanya, meeting with Slavik but not Oren, who stayed home because Cathy was not feeling well.  We took the normal northbound route up Hwy 4, this time to Zichron Yaakov, where we both rode up the little hill into the town.  The wind favored us on the way north, and our pace was slower as we spent the first portion riding side by side and talking.  The little climb felt good, not great, and it was the first time in a while that I have ridden a grade.  The way back was slowed by the wind and my general fitness.  I couldn't keep up any steady pace on the flats greater than about 17-18 mph.  More improvement in fitness needed.  We met Oren at the Landower coffee shop in Netanya, then Slavik and I headed back to our respective starting points.  Later in the day, I was really tired but not sore.  Weather was generally cooperative, a little cooler until the sun started coming out, still humid.

Avg speed = 15.4 mph. Total mileage = 46.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 136 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1370'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3606436921
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/22843535821

06-14-2019 Ride

Got started a little after 6:00 on this ride, general loop out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40, over to the 461, then back to the 44 via the 431, then back home retracing my route.  It was somewhat slow on the way out to the 44, then it was faster for most of the rest of the way.  Felt fine on this short ride.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 30.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 145 bpm
Total elevation gain = 520'
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/22821476175

06-01-2019 Ride

Finally, a ride with others after a long layoff.  Met Oren in Netanya and then Slavik, and we headed out the normal way to Hwy 4, heading north.  It had also been a while since we had taken this route of staying on the highway until (and in this case, beyond) Zichron Yaakov.  We rode out until just beyond the junction with the 67 before turning around and riding back the same way.  The wind was steadily at our backs on the way out, which made it fast and fun.  Not so much on the return.  I felt find and several times I hunkered down and pushed the pace into the wind.  But I didn't sustain it for any long periods of time.  Toward the end, I was ready to be done, a little hungry and feeling worn out but not in pain.  Oren and I stopped for a break at Landower Coffee in Netanya before we finished up.  My Fitbit battery ran out during the ride, so I wasn't able to fully capture the workout on this app, which includes tracking my heartrate.  It stopped at around 38 miles tracked, where my heartrate was averaging 136 bpm.

Avg speed = 16.0 mph. Total mileage = 46.4 mi
Total elevation gain = 1140'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3577770874

05-31-2019 Ride

Solo ride on the last day of the Global Wellness Challenge, so I put a little extra into it, going out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40 before turning north.  There was a noticeable headwind on the way out, and it helped a little when I turned north, so that section was fast.  I turned onto the 443 and ride up to Modi'in and beyond, the road having a general uphill incline but only significant in a couple of spots.  This part was also into the wind, but I felt like I had a good ride on this section.  I turned around by the checkpoint and enjoyed the ride back, making good time riding downhill with a tailwind.  I missed my turn at some point and ended up on Hwy 1 for a time until I exited and got back onto the 40.  Over to the 461, still feeling pretty good, and then back to the 44 via the 412.  The ride back was faster with the help of the tailwind.  I took Shlabim on the way back over to Kibbutz Galuyot and then home the new normal way.  This was the first ride in a while that I felt decent throughout and put in a good effort.

Avg speed = 17.5 mph. Total mileage = 49.5 mi
Avg heartrate = 145 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1980'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3575898007
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/22465219929

05-25-2019 Ride

Another solo ride, as Oren isn't riding these days, at least not on the road.  Out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 412 and over to Yehuda to get to the 40 via the 461.  Then out to the end of the 40 in Kfar Sava, enjoying, I think, a little bit of help from a wind that was coming generally from the west.  I was slower on the return, due a little bit to the wind but more to lack of fitness.  I stayed on the 461 back to Kibbutz Galuyot and took this back home, figuring out the new route through the neighborhood west of Yerushalayem after they closed the street off.  It's not too bad as a road, we will see what it's like when there is a lot of traffic.  Felt fine at the end, no cramping just tired muscles.  Heartrate indicates that I need to work on my cardio fitness.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 42.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 150 bpm
Total elevation gain = 790'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3563909545
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/22302628294

05-24-2019 Ride

Solo ride, starting around 6:00AM because it was going to be a hot day.  Simple route, out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the road leading into Bet Uzziel, a little over 15 miles, and then turning around.  The night before, they had closed off Yerushalayem to start tearing into it for putting in the light rail.  Not a happy day.  The ride went okay, I didn't feel much headwind on the way out but had something of a boost on the way back.

Avg speed = 17.2 mph. Total mileage = 31.1 mi
Avg heartrate (with pauses) = 141 bpm
Total elevation gain = 890'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3562164673
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/22277823071

05-18-2019 Ride

This turned out to be a ride that was tougher than expected.  I tried to head east and south to take advantage of favorable winds on the way back, but it didn't work out.  Headed out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 412 and turned toward Rishon LeTzion.  To Nes Ziona, turning on Etzel Rd to get to the 410, which I rode over to the 411.  I wasn't riding so fast here, but saw a group of riders ahead at this point and picked up my pace to try and catch up with them.  Stayed on the 411 past the 40 for a mile or so before turning around and riding back to the 40 to start heading home.  At this point, I was still feeling okay, and this is an easier stretch of road back to the 44 intersection.  When I turned here, I felt the headwind and didn't have much left to respond, so it was slow and go for the rest of the ride.  On the way back, I added a little jog down Herzl St to Jaffa Rd to try and get up to 40 mi total.  Felt fine at the end, just really tired with no push in my legs left.

Avg speed = 15.9 mph. Total mileage = 40.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 142 bpm (with pauses)
Total elevation gain = 1130'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3555893005
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/22119411540

05-17-2019 Ride

Solo ride after missing the last two weekends due to travel.  Was at Laila Levan the previous evening, late, so I was riding on less sleep and got a later start.  Even still, I felt fine throughout the ride.  Kept it simple, heading out Ben Zvi and the 44 until mile 15, then turning around and retracing my route.  It seemed like the wind was helping me in the early going, and I felt like I had a slight aiding wind on the ride back, so that was all good.  Pace was faster than I expected it would be, maybe due to the wind helping out.

Avg speed = 17.5 mph. Total mileage = 30.0 mph
Avg heartrate = 133 bpm (including stops this time)
Total elevation gain = 840'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3548518210
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/22096626799

05-03-2019 Run

Posted a long time after this run.  Headed through the neighborhood to the Tayellet up to the Dolphinarium and beyond before heading back and generally retracing my outbound route.

Total mileage = 3.55 mi
Avg pace = 8:21
Avg heartrate = 171 bpm (!)

https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3521172766

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21738139932

05-01-2019 Run

Posted a long time after this run.  It was a short one but relatively fast for me, through the neighborhood over to the coast and then up to the turnaround point by the Dolphinarium.  Then I retraced my route.

Total mileage = 3.23 mi
Avg pace = 8:14
Avg heartrate = 164 bpm

https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3517190401

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21693790059

04-29-2019 Run

Posted a long time after this run.  Through the neighborhood over to the coast and then up to the Dolphinarium and beyond on the Tayellet.  Then I retraced my route.

Total mileage = 3.24 mi
Avg pace = 8:16
Avg heartrate = 161 bpm

https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3513129625

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21635635510

04-27-2019 Ride

Solo ride, starting around 7:00 from the Nachson junction and heading toward Bet Shemesh on the 44.  There were a lot of riders on the road, probably more than I have ever seen.  I was slow on the steeper climbs but made good pace on the more shallow climbs.  Generally felt good, catching up with a couple of larger groups near my turnaround point at around mile 18.  On the way back, I thought about riding up a part of the Tsuba climb but decided not to after all, just a little juke in that direction.  Slow on the last climb, it was just time to grind on the pedals.  It was starting to get warm near the end, so I was glad to be done.

Avg speed = 15.8 mph. Total mileage = 36.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 140 bpm (this number is too low)
Total elevation gain = 2940'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3509680309
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21596408736

04-26-2019 Ride

Ride in the morning after a long day visiting Jericho.  Getting there was fine, and the trip was interesting but the weather warm.  Ann suffered more than me.  On the way back, we had to wait for a transfer bus in El Azariya for about an hour, then found out that bus and train service was shut down for Pesach when we got into Jerusalem.  Another long wait on the Sherut taxi until it filled up.  Anyway, it was frustrating on the way back, and I was tired from the day.  Even still, I started out at a steady pace, and the weather was ideal for most of the time, just starting to warm up at the end of the ride.  Out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40.  After the turn, I made generally good time for quite a while, holding my pace over 20 mph for most of it unless I was slowed down by a traffic light.  Felt good on this short, relatively fast ride, even at the end.  If my Fitbit is correct, my heartrate was pretty high throughout.

Avg speed = 18.1 mph. Total mileage = 30.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 155 bpm
Total elevation gain = 690'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3508119598
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21577428323

04-24-2019 Ride

Solo ride on a nice morning.  Got started around 7:00, simple route of heading out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the junction with Hwy 3 and then turning around to retrace my route.  For the first time in a while, I felt decent on the second half of the ride, and it wasn't because there was a strong tailwind helping me along.  Still not super-fast, but I had some moments where my cadence and pace felt good.

Avg speed = 17.4 mph. Total mileage = 40.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 138 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1440'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3504054607
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21520591645

04-22-2019 Ride

Posted long after this ride.  This was a short ride, not sure why, maybe weather was bad.  Headed out by the stadium and Shlabim to Ben Zvi, and then via the 44 to Rehov HaMerkava, where I decided to turn right and find out where it went.  It eventually put me onto an entrance ramp to Hwy 4, so I turned around and got on Sderot Yerushalaim, which took me into Holon, same street was Yosef Serlin, then Mikve Yisrael, until I turned right onto Levi Eshkol, which allowed me to get back to the 44.  Home on a straight shot from there.

Avg speed = 14.2 mph. Total mileage = 10.7 mi

Total elevation gain = 320'

Avg heartrate = 128 bpm

https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3499467586

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21459223318

04-20-2019 Ride

Solo ride on the morning after Pesach, so not a lot of traffic on the roads.  Out to Palmahim and back using the route I've taken before.  On the way out there, after crossing under Hwy 4, it started to sprinkle, enough that the road was getting wet.  But it didn't last, and I ended up not getting wet.  A little better pace on this ride, but I am still not feeling strong while riding.  Heartrate was down significantly from the previous day.  The ride back was wind-aided for much of the time.

Later, I rode up to the Tel Aviv port and met Ann for coffee.  Not counted in the statistics below, but the entire trip, up at fast pace and back at slow pace, was about 6-7 mi more

Avg speed = 16.6 mph. Total mileage = 32.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 136 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1230'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3495800311
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21342326640

04-19-2019 Ride

Solo ride on the first day of the Passover holiday break, heading out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 412, taking it north to the 461, and then to Hwy 40.  Up to this point, it seemed that I was working against the wind, which then was something of a help on the ride out to Kfar Sava.  Still, I didn't ride very fast even with the help.  Turned around at the end of Hwy 40 and retraced my route.  The section going directly south was into the wind, so it was slower than usual.  Once I turned onto the 44, the wind was more of a help, so I rode at a decent clip for a while.  Less traffic on this day than I had expected.

Avg speed = 16.3 mph. Total mileage = 43.5 mi
Avg heartrate = 151 bpm (wind must have been stronger than I thought)
Total elevation gain = 840'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3494082280
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21393025811

04-17-2019 Run

Run over to the coast and north to the normal turnaround spot, retracing my general route.  On the way out, I felt great, then I turned around and had to deal with the wind that had been helping me get there.  It was slower going back, for sure.

Total mileage = 2.40 mi
Avg pace = 8:41
Avg heartrate = 169 bpm
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3489978934
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21342326640

04-15-2019 Run

First run in quite a while.  It was a short one, over to the coast and then up to the turnaround point by where the Dolphinarium used to be.  Then I retraced my route.  Felt okay, but it was a workout.  My legs were just a little sore the day after but not so bad.  From the graph of my average pace, it seems that I start off slow, so I should look at pushing a little harder in my run at the beginning.

Total mileage = 2.29 mi
Avg pace = 8:44
Avg heartrate = 166 bpm
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3486072748
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21286685998

04-13-2019 Ride

Well, this was an unexpected adventure.  I headed out Ben Zvi and the 44, initially in a misty fog that cleared up after about 30 min.  The wind was actually calm but I felt like it was working against me.  I turned onto the 424 and headed up to Latrun, and actually did pretty well for the first part.  A little slow toward the end, and this should have been my warning sign.  When I turned around, I thought it would be smooth riding, generally downhill, back home.  Not so.  It was a struggle, again with no wind but the feeling like it was in my face.  I made okay time at the beginning but slowed down and found I didn't have any push in my legs.  So it was a slow slog to get home, and I was really happy to arrive there.  Lots and lots of work to do to rebuild my core fitness, it seems.

Avg speed = 15.7 mph. Total mileage = 43.5 mi
Avg heartrate = 146 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1371'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3482267512
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21246267520

04-12-2019 Ride

Solo ride, leaving from the gas station near Pedaya and getting some climbing in.  Headed out the 44 to the 38 and headed south toward Bet Shemesh.  Out to mile 15 before turning around and retracing my route.  I was slow on the sections where the incline was steeper but felt okay on the parts where it was a more steady climb.  Good push up a short steep little section on the way back, just before Bet Shemesh.  On the longer climbs I was just slow, need more practice to get back into cardio and cycling shape.

Avg speed = 15.2 mph. Total mileage = 32.0 mi
Total elevation gain = 2380'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3480641653

04-06-2019 Ride

Ride with Oren from the normal starting spot in Netanya.  He was feeling tired, so we cut back the distance and shape of our normal route.  Headed over to Hwy 4 and rode north to the intersection with the 65, where we turned around and headed back.  There was perhaps a little bit of a tailwind on the way back, but it was negligible.  We stayed on Hwy 4 and rode into Even Yehuda, to this house where a lady was selling Jakhnun unlike anything I have ever tasted.  It was served with some tomato puree and spices, very doughy and it sat heavy in my stomach.  I was glad we were near the end of the ride.  We rode through the neighborhood to get back to Netanya and the starting point.  A good ride in general, pace a little lower than normal to stay by Oren.

Avg speed = 16.3 mph. Total mileage = 31.2 mi
Total elevation gain = 820'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3468301081

04-05-2019 Ride

Solo ride on a nice Friday morning, just a little cool with a breeze coming from the south.  Rode out Ben Zvi and the 44 almost to Karme Yosef before turning around and heading back the same way.  Rode by the stadium on the way out, and it is looking close to completion of construction.  Still probably a lot of infrastructure work to be done, including roads and parking, but we might see it open before we leave.  The way back was fairly fast until I got into city traffic, aided by some tailwind.

Avg speed = 17.8 mph. Total mileage = 36.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 150 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1130'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3466733023
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/21009858626

03-29-2019 Ride

Solo ride, first day of Daylight Saving Time, so I started around 7:30.  Slow going on this ride, hadn't ridden in two weeks and not much exercise other than a lot of walking while we were in Istanbul.Out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 412, heading northeast.  I saw lightning in the distance after this turn and thought about turning around but kept going.  To the 461, where I rode up to the 40 and turned south.  To the 4613, using it to ride over to the 46, which I took back to the 40 to loop back to the 461.  Home via the 461, with a tailwind that was a help.  Felt okay, just slow.

Avg speed = 16.5 mph. Total mileage = 26.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 137 bpm
Total elevation gain = 510'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3453472246
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/20879715567

03-15-2019 Ride

Solo ride on a cloudy day, standard route out Ben Zvi and the 44 to the 40, over to the 461, then back to the 44 via 412.  I was slow on the outward leg, maybe because of some headwind and getting my rhythm back.  The northbound leg was fast, and I felt like I did better on the return.

Avg speed = 16.8 mph  Total mileage = 30.8 mi
Avg heartrate (Fitbit) = 142 bpm
Total elevation gain = 590'
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/20537960507
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3427597201

03-01-2019 Ride

Solo ride in the morning after it rained during the night.  The roads were wet for much of this ride, and I was more careful than usual about not skidding out.  Out the standard way toward Palmahim, but before I crossed under Hwy 4 I turned around because it started to sprinkle.  The weather stayed okay for the ride back, even showing the sun once I got back to the 44.

Avg speed = 16.4 mph. Total mileage = 25.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 139 bpm (Fitbit)
Total elevation gain = 900'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3404877352
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/20218011066

02-24-2019 Run

Posted a long time after this run.  It was a short one but relatively fast for me, through the neighborhood over to the coast and then up to the turnaround point by the Dolphinarium.  Then I retraced my route.

Total mileage = 2.24 mi
Avg pace = 8:35
Avg heartrate = 161 bpm

https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3396207352

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/20093313571

02-24-2019 Run

Run after a long layoff from this exercise.  Out along the beach to near the David before turning around and retracing my route.  It was a chore, especially on the return, but I felt better afterward having done the exercise.

Avg speed = 8:28/mile
Total distance = 2.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 161 bpm
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/20093313571

02-23-2019 Ride

Ride from normal Netanya starting point with Oren, getting started a little after 6:30.  We started off close to our normal pace, maybe just a little slower.  Normal route out to Hwy 4, heading north.  Right on the 581 to the 5803 to the 5714 to the 57, standard route we've done a number of times.  Then heading back via the 582 and the 553, stopping for coffee before a short ride back to the starting point.  A little tired in the ride toward the latter part, it had been a while since I rode two days in a row.

Avg speed = 16.0 mph. Total mileage = 35.1 mi
Total elevation gain = 1000'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3394668775

02-22-2019 Ride

Solo ride in the morning, a little chilly at first but not cold, no wind to speak of this time.  Out Ben Zvi and the 44, turning at one point to head into the industrial part of Holon.  I was trying to find a different way to get to the 412 but was ultimately unsuccessful and had to turn around and get back to the 44. Rode up to the 412 and headed northeast to the 40. Turned south and, not long after, got passed by a small pack of riders.  I sat on the back of this pack for quite a while, at one point passing them and riding ahead to catch up with another rider who was setting a higher pace.  I kept with him until at a stoplight I paused to change gloves and put new music on.  Continued back to the 44, turning there and heading home the normal way.  Latter part of the ride was at a faster pace, and I generally felt good.

Avg speed = 17.6 mph. Total mileage = 33.5 mi
Avg heartrate (FitBit) = 151 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
https://www.mapmyride.com/workout/3393246919
https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/20054053386