TheRCF
04-30-06, 06:41 PM
I have usually ridden alone and when I do ride with someone, it is usually a small part of the day's ride with one or two others.
Today I did my second group ride - a metric century (I did a regular century last Sept). The winds weren't as bad as normal, but it was raining at the start and that lasted for all but about 13 miles of the ride. I did bring a rain coat - I was probably the only one and I guess a lot of riders thought it odd. My bike, even though it is a racing bike, has a rear fender I added as well. Well, at least I wasn't covered in mud like most people.
First thing I noticed was that my HR wasn't registering at all! In fact, it never did - first time that happened. I started out the ride okay, just cruising at 15 or so, but within 4 miles I had a flat! When I got going again, I just didn't feel strong and mostly rode a little below 15. At 12 miles, I really didn't feel strong at all and really only kept going because I was riding with someone else. I was also frustrated by the fact that darn near everyone was passing me. Other than the very beginning, I think I only passed 2 people on the outbound half of the ride.
That probably isn't as bad as it sounds. I didn't want to get caught in the big mob like in the century ride last year, so I started off early as many others do as well (it's not a race). So this probably put me way ahead of most of the rides I could have passed plus the delay to fix the tire probably put me way too far behind other early riders that I could have passed. Still, psychologically, it was a killer.
When I got to the turn around point, I saw the odometer only said we had gone 27.4 miles! So I knew it wasn't going to be a true metric century. Well, okay, I've done many others by myself and with how I felt and the rain, getting done about 7 miles early was probably just as well.
After about 10 miles with no rain going back, it rained heavier the rest of the way. Once I had gone 39 miles, I found my computer was not working at all! Not even the timer part which runs whether you are moving or not would activate.
Then about 5 miles from the end, as I tried to shift to the big ring going downhill, the darn thing wouldn't shift! I tried over and over and was just about to give up when it finally did with about 4 miles to go.
That's when things actually got good, though I have no clue as to why. I suddenly seemed to have a lot more energy and, while I can't tell how fast I was going the rest of the way since the computer didn't work, I know I was MUCH faster. If I had to guess, I'd say at least 17 - maybe 18 or 19 on the flats (for me, that's flying even early in a ride). I just felt really strong. For a moment I thought the wind had shifted, but then I realized I was EASILY passing people who had easily passed me about 3-5 minutes before, so it couldn't be the wind. Even going up small hills seemed easy.
If the whole ride had been like that, I would be one happy camper!
Today I did my second group ride - a metric century (I did a regular century last Sept). The winds weren't as bad as normal, but it was raining at the start and that lasted for all but about 13 miles of the ride. I did bring a rain coat - I was probably the only one and I guess a lot of riders thought it odd. My bike, even though it is a racing bike, has a rear fender I added as well. Well, at least I wasn't covered in mud like most people.
First thing I noticed was that my HR wasn't registering at all! In fact, it never did - first time that happened. I started out the ride okay, just cruising at 15 or so, but within 4 miles I had a flat! When I got going again, I just didn't feel strong and mostly rode a little below 15. At 12 miles, I really didn't feel strong at all and really only kept going because I was riding with someone else. I was also frustrated by the fact that darn near everyone was passing me. Other than the very beginning, I think I only passed 2 people on the outbound half of the ride.
That probably isn't as bad as it sounds. I didn't want to get caught in the big mob like in the century ride last year, so I started off early as many others do as well (it's not a race). So this probably put me way ahead of most of the rides I could have passed plus the delay to fix the tire probably put me way too far behind other early riders that I could have passed. Still, psychologically, it was a killer.
When I got to the turn around point, I saw the odometer only said we had gone 27.4 miles! So I knew it wasn't going to be a true metric century. Well, okay, I've done many others by myself and with how I felt and the rain, getting done about 7 miles early was probably just as well.
After about 10 miles with no rain going back, it rained heavier the rest of the way. Once I had gone 39 miles, I found my computer was not working at all! Not even the timer part which runs whether you are moving or not would activate.
Then about 5 miles from the end, as I tried to shift to the big ring going downhill, the darn thing wouldn't shift! I tried over and over and was just about to give up when it finally did with about 4 miles to go.
That's when things actually got good, though I have no clue as to why. I suddenly seemed to have a lot more energy and, while I can't tell how fast I was going the rest of the way since the computer didn't work, I know I was MUCH faster. If I had to guess, I'd say at least 17 - maybe 18 or 19 on the flats (for me, that's flying even early in a ride). I just felt really strong. For a moment I thought the wind had shifted, but then I realized I was EASILY passing people who had easily passed me about 3-5 minutes before, so it couldn't be the wind. Even going up small hills seemed easy.
If the whole ride had been like that, I would be one happy camper!