Ride 13 – What a bike ride

After having three straight days off the bike I was ready to ride again. I wasn’t sure what to expect because of my short layoff but I was optimistic.

5:00 AM came bright and early and I was ready. I had a new set of bibs and a shirt come in the mail yesterday so I was eager to try them out. I’d also installed a new front light to increase my visibility to oncoming traffic. The air was a little chilly this morning but not bad. Once I got to spinning I warmed up quickly.

My first long straightaway I was cooking. I was averaging around 14 mph which is about what I saw on my last couple of bicycle rides. Traffic seemed rather light this morning and I wasn’t complaining. As I neared my first turn I couldn’t believe how good I felt. The bibs felt good, the legs felt good, and I was movin’. The rest must have done me some good. During this stretch I’m pushing along anywhere from 14 to 16 mph. As I neared my turnaround point I slowed down a bit due to a little uphill work and because I wanted to conserve my energy for the second half.

Once past my turnaround point and approaching No Man’s Land, I began to wonder if I could really push it the rest of the way in. I felt that good. I took a good sip of water and settled in for the push. Once I entered No Man’s Land I shifted into my smallest cog on the middle gear and began cranking it. I was flying! I made if all the way through No Man’s Land at 16+ mph! My previous best was between 14-15 mph back on Ride 10. I know, for some of you 16 mph is no big deal but for me it is!

I slow down before hitting the home stretch so I can recover a bit and drink some water. Once hitting the 2 mile stretch back home I shift to the big gear and push it the rest of the way in. It started to burn pretty good near the end but I was able to push through.

Overall this ride was fantastic! The numbers were: 11.54 miles, 49 minutes, 17.7 mph max, and 14 mph average. The 17.7 mph max was achieved while going uphill and the 14 mph average is a new record for my morning ride.

I saw a couple of runners today (one of them new) and another rider. The rider was a large fellow, like myself, heading the opposite direction as I pushed the big gear home. He looked to be new to the bike and struggling some. I saw myself three weeks ago. I’m not saying I don’t struggle now but I know there’s a big difference between me now and me then. I wish I knew who he was. If you’re reading this, and were riding East on Baymeadows Road at around 6:00 AM this morning, please leave a comment or send me an email via the contact form. I know the chances of him reading this blog are microscopic but you never know. Maybe next time I’ll turn around and introduce myself.

jaxgtr

Sounds like your ready to do the Jax-Baldwin trail twice. Let me know.
http://wrightideas.typepad.com/watch_dave_lose_it/ Dave

I really get a charge when someone gives me the thumbs up. I have even had people come up to me at the bike store and say "are you the guy who rides the river road?"

I always say "I am an inspiration to several".

Keep it up and you can inspire several too!!
daveydave

ah – the breakthrough ride! Sometimes I feel lazy when I take 2 – 3 straight days off. It's necessary though. Our bodies do need to recover. Plus, we get to see how much fitness we have gained. I like those days! I have so much more confidence after them. Starting off the week with your best ride yet must feel great! 14 MPH average on the type of bike you are riding is pretty strong to hold.

thanks for another cool summary!

dave
http://www.cyclepig.com thePig

Congrats on breaking through 14mph. It is amazing what a couple of days break can do for the legs.

I used to expect to a personal best every time I did my local ride which meant I always pushed to hard. I now wear a heart rate monitor and before going riding decide whether I can going to do a normal ride or push. If doing a normal ride I keep watch on the heart rate to make sure I am not overcooking things.

I know there are far more advanced ways to train but this simple approach works for me and has kept the numbers ticking up nicely so far this year.
Bryan

@Jaxgtr: I might be. 60 miles sounds like a stretch though. I'm not sure I want to ride that far on my "tank". I've been getting my cannondale ready to go and have the rear wheel in my car to take by open road to have them look at something. I believe, at a minimum, I'll be replacing the rear rim.

@Dave: Thanks Dave. I hope I can inspire someone to get back on and ride.

@thePig: Thanks Pete. I think the rest did me good too. Jaxgtr and I were talking about heart rate monitors too. I'm going to look into getting one so I can take a more scientific approach to gaging my effort.
Arlyn

Nice job! It really feels great to see your progress. Taking the time to recover properly is really a key part of improving. I'm on a weeklong rest cycle right now after having pushed hard for several weeks.
Bryan

@Arlyn: Thanks! It feels good to make progress. In the past I've always been very bad at not recovering and getting enough sleep. I'm trying to do better at that.