Easy Four, Day Three

Day three of my three-day, four-mile effort completed. Slow and easy as I built up miles again after months of cycling. Since I found Porsches to include in my blog photos for day one and two, I just had to find another. Today I purposely run by a 996 Turbo down my street to complete the trifecta ... three jogs, three days and three Porsches.

Easy Four, Day Two

Another easy four-mile jog in the middle of the day. Low 60 degrees and no wind, perfect for running. My goal is to jog four-miles, three days in a row and then enjoy a two-day break while it rains. Today's photo opportunity was a latest-generation Cayenne. That's two jogs and two Porsches in two days. Can I make it three for three?

Easy Four, Day One

Heavy rain is in the forecast for Thursday and Friday later this week. So, I'm planning to run today and the next two days before two rain-forced rest days. Slowing my pace back down, I'm hoping for four-mile slower jogs each day. First one completed today. Keeping it slow to build up my leg bones again after months of cycling ... and to lose more weight. I'm always keeping an eye out for interesting photo opportunities and running across the 981 Cayman was too good to pass up.

Porsche wins Spa 24 hour

Live streamed the 24 hour race at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps yesterday and this morning. I got to watch the Rowe entered Porsche GT3 R climb back up the order in the rain to win overall. It was a very exciting race and the conditions were perfect for the rear-engine Porsche GT3 R.

A beautiful autumn day in Maryland and perfect weather for a bike ride. I rode the 2004 Porsche Bike X 40-miles around BWI Airport and down to Annapolis and back on the old train paved path. I've done this ride many times, but to see the leaves changing color was quite a sight. I'm glad I changed the tires from the Continental Gatorskin road bike tires to the Continental Tour Ride touring tires though. A light sprinkle made the leaves on the path slippery. The grip on the Tour Ride tires was perfect. Good choice for the GAP ride next year.

PCA Sim Racing Series 5 finale at Daytona

I finished P15 in the PCA Sim Racing finale at Daytona International Raceway tonight. It was a hard fought finish after getting hit by a spinning car on the second lap. I had to charge back from P32 to finish in the 15th spot. Great race and wonderful finish to the PCA Sim Racing Series 5 Challenge class, racing the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. I'm looking forward to 2021 in the Porsche RSR and GT3 Cup.

Limited edition PCA Porsche GT3 Cup liveries

Just wrapped up both the blue and white limited edition PCA Porsche GT3 Cup liveries for the 2021 PCA Sim Racing Series 6. These two car skins match the real cars quite well.

Foggy 5K

Ran a 2020 5K personal best in the fog this morning. Ran my usual path around the neighborhood park in the Porsche Design EC Running shoes. The leaves are changing color and the cool temperatures made for a beautiful autumn jog. Even though I averaged a 9:14 pace for 3.1 miles, I'm way off my goal pace of sub 8-minute mile. But I'm just starting again after a year of cycling, so I'm making good progress. I'm also slimming down again and should be able to run in my lightweight Porsche Design Endurance Boost shoes soon. Tomorrow I'm planning 40-miles on the 2004 Porsche Bike X.

Nooner 5K

Today's goal was a ten-minute-mile 5k at lunch time. 3.1-miles later, mission accomplished. Fog burned off just in time. Low 60s and no wind. Perfect day for the run in the Porsche Design EC Running Shoes.

Sub ten-minute mile

 

After a seven-hour patio-cover painting event yesterday, I was a little worn out today. But nothing would keep me from running today. Well, except the fact that I'm slow and worn out from yesterday! I drank a Diet Mountain Dew and headed out to run a noon-time "faster" two-miles with the Porsche Design EC Running Shoes. I was able to average 9:48 pace, a new personal best this fall after "starting over" again. 

Porsche Club News

 

Porsche Club News wrote a story about my September 184.5-mile C&O ride on the 1998 Porsche Bike S. The Porsche Club News website and email newsletter is distributed to over 600 Porsche car clubs worldwide. When this story was published, I did notice a big spike in page views on this blog.

For me personally, this was a huge honor and a bucket-list item to get my name in an international Porsche article. I will treasure the C&O ride for the amazing experience it provided me as well as this opportunity to be mentioned in a Porsche website.

Here's the link to the story. Log in is required to read it.

Porsche RSR wins Petit Le Mans

After painting my patio all day yesterday, I fired up the computer to watch the end of the 10-hour Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. I'm glad I did. After Porsche didn't qualify particularly well and was running mid pack throughout the race, I didn't think their chances of a podium finish were very likely. Watching the end of the race from my computer, I was able to see the 911 leap frog the second place Corvette in the pits and then when the leading BMW crashed, the 911 inherited the lead with 30-minutes left. This was the first 2020 win for the USA Factory RSR and the last race ever for the car and team. Happy to see the RSR win, sad it's the last race. But Porsche will likely field a top-class LMDi in 2022!

Porsche RSR retro livery

And here's my 2021 PCA Sim Racing Porsche RSR livery. This is my latest obscure retro Porsche livery representing the John Paul Racing Porsche 935 K3 from the early 1980s. Here's the actual car, I used to watch race in IMSA back in the day.

Where the C&O goal started

I was back in Frederick, MD for some wine tasting and sightseeing yesterday and stopped by the Frederick town visitor center where I first learned about the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath. This is where I first set my goal of riding the 184.5-mile C&O Canal Towpath on my 1998 Porsche Bike S mountain bike. Returning to the visitor center, I had to take a photo of the giant C&O wall display that caught my eye last fall and thank the volunteer workers at the visitor center. I told them I rode the C&O last month and am planning to ride the 148-mile Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) next year. Hearing this, they gave me a book and maps about the GAP ride, like they did last year for the C&O. Here we go again!

Best Porsche Bike Collection in the world?

New Facebook friend from Hanoi, Vietnam, Bao Khanh has the largest collection of Porsche bicycles I have ever encountered. I thought having three bikes was a little much. Bao has what looks like eight Porsche bicycles. In the photos he posted on Facebook, I see the vintage Bike S, Bike R, Bike FS and Bike FS Evo as well as the modern Bike S, Bike RS and the ultra rare eBike X+. What an outstanding collection!

Autumn lunchtime jog

With air temperatures cooling and leaves changing, I'm switching to more running than long-distance cycling. It's easier to sneak in a lunchtime short jog when the temps are perfect mid-day than a longer ride early in the cold mornings this time of year. I was able to go a little longer and little faster than the last couple of runs. I like that kind of progress. Still planning a long ride Sunday mid morning, but also hope to continue increasing the running miles to stay in shape for the 2021 cycling season.

Daytona GT4 practice laps

Getting in some practice laps driving the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport around Daytona International Raceway before next week's PCA Sim Racing Series 5 finale race. It's difficult to truly appreciate the steep Daytona banking until you drive it ... even in sim. I look forward to the last race of the year, but will then miss the Friday night races.

Next Porsche Bike rides

After completing the 184.5-mile C&O Canal Towpath ride, I'm looking forward to other long-distance cycling on the east coast. Here's a few I have lined up next:

Mount Vernon Trail - this nearly 40-mile round trip paved path travels along the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Northern Virginia between Rosslyn and George Washington's home at Mount Vernon. This will be a shorter ride I might be able to complete this year and best suited for the 2004 Bike X.

Delaware Canal Towpath - After thoroughly enjoying the C&O Canal Towpath, why not explore other Towpaths! The Delaware Canal Towpath runs parallel to the Delaware River between Easton and Bristol. The 58.89-mile towpath trail could be a one-day ride or a nice overnight round trip. Like the C&O, this is a rough trail surface, so I'll likely ride the 1998 Porsche Bike S mountain bike.

Great Allegheny Passage - GAP is a rail trail system in Maryland and Pennsylvania—the central trail of a network of long-distance bike trails throughout the Allegheny region of the Appalachian Mountains. I'd like to ride the segment connecting Cumberland, MD to Pittsburgh PA. Although this 148-mile trail is another dirt path, I've read it is mostly smooth and ideal for hybrid, touring or cross bikes. I'm planning to ride the GAP next May on the 2004 Bike X with 700x1.6 touring tires.

Two more miles

Another easy and slow two miles around my neighborhood park with the Porsche Design EC Running Shoes. Taking my time progressing to avoid injury. Looking forward to picking up the pace again. It's been way too long since I've run fast.

Bike X 40-miler ... Halloween is coming

 

Another 40 miles riding the 2004 Porsche Bike X around BWI and down to Annapolis and back today. 40 miles seems easy these days. I hope I don't lose this conditioning over the winter. The Halloween yard decorations are starting to show. Weather was perfect with low 70s and a little cloud cover.

More fun sim racing

Not my best finish, but having a blast racing in the PCA Sim Racing Series 5 driving the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport with my custom livery. Tonight racing at Watkins Glen, I started P29 and finished P21. Had a clean race and took the Porsche to the checked flag looking good. So much fun! Here's the link to the recorded broadcast.

Another short jog

With the weather cooling, I'm now transitioning from frequent early morning rides to one long mid day ride on the weekend. To fill in the weekday gaps, I'm getting started jogging again to cover the missed exercise. My second run since switching over was another short and slow two-miler around the neighborhood park in the Porsche Design EC Running Shoes. I was a little faster than the first run but can feel my leg muscles and bones need a slow reentry into running. I'm planning a long ride tomorrow on the Bike X and running again Sunday. 

My Porsche ... Hot Wheels

I posted these pics on the Porsche Hot Wheels Facebook group page. 

Sim racing version of the exclusive PCA GT3 Cup

In advance of the 2021 PCA Sim Racing spring season, I have begun work on a new livery for the Porsche 991.2 GT3 Cup racer. My plan is to run the PCA exclusive 911 GT3 Cup livery produced by Porsche Motorsports North America. These photos show a side-by-side of my livery compared to the PCA GT3 Cup product brochure. I'll also create the blue version of this livery too.