Fifty Plus (50+) - Big dogs part 3

(When I got back into cycling 4 months ago I didn't have this in mind. I didn't even have a road bike on my mind.)

I just got back from a 4-night 5-day vacation Cruise with my wife and it was very relaxing. But we ate too much. I have been looking for the Monday club ride all weekend. I showed up this morning and it was a large group with two new riders I have only met once before. I felt good and had even managed three hours on the lifecycle during the cruise.

The group decided on a longer ride on a route I hadn’t been on before. I honestly did my best to keep up with the lead group but at about the 15-mile point we hit our first long shallow climb and shortly I started to fade. I managed to down about half a bottle of Power aid and got to the top of the grade. Not bad I thought because we started with ten riders and only five were in front of me by about ¼ mile. At the one-hour mark one of the riders I normally follow pulled up in my back wheel and I ended up having to drop two gears to keep my spin at about 85-90 RPM. I figured there was another pack behind us with three more riders and if I could recover a bit I could grab a wheel and hold on till the coffee shop at the 30-mile mark. Didn’t happen. I figured we had been dropped and missed a turn because I didn’t see the group that was supposed to pass.

We hit another long grade and I was sure my fade would continue, I am still 35 pounds too heavy for where I want to be, but to my surprise the drink and the spinning was helping and I was feeling a bit stronger after we crested the last grade.

Just about then I realized where I was and how far I had to go to get to the coffee shop so I put my head down and managed to spin at about 95 RPM for the rest of the way pulling in a respectable 21 MPH for the last mile and a half.


I admit I was a bit disappointed that I finished the first half of the ride close to last but the conversation was good. Then I discovered three riders dropped out. The ride from the coffee shop home was pretty uneventful. I didn’t get dropped because there were no grades or hills.

Lessons for today:

1. The saddle feels better but it will still take time to get used to.
2. There is a direct link between how you train and how you ride.
3. Sometimes your second wind comes just before your first stop.
4. I ride faster than a golf cart.
5. I have a long way to go before I will be finishing with the faster club riders.

I won’t be going for a part four till I can keep up with the group and still have enough breath left to take pictures.

This reads like exceptional progress to me. Getting to the coffee shop before the fastest riders left has to be counted as a good sign. <G>

This reads like exceptional progress to me. Getting to the coffee shop before the fastest riders left has to be counted as a good sign. <G>

Yes at least parking my bike on the patio was closer to their bikes than I had been for at least 12 miles. 5 of them left for home before I finished my coffee. Two fresh riders joined us at the coffee shop so four of us left about 5 minutes behind. It was one of my best rides so far. I just know that until I get in better shape and lighten my load quite a bit hills and long uphill grades will be my downfall. I may join the Saturday group and hit the dirt trails again just to see how much dust I can eat following the pack.

You already know that having to hustle to keep up, not get dropped, etc., is great for getting in shape. One word of caution: don't injure yourself trying to do too much too fast. When I first moved here a year ago, I was excited to be riding with a group of riders with whom I could barely keep in sight, sometimes. I assumed I would get better. Six months later, I was worse than when I started. I had injured my leg in someway. It still slows me down.

Your making good progress and you attidude remains focused an positive. Keep going back and hang with the leaders for as long as you can. Sometimes on group rides everyone is suffering going up hills but no one will admit it. As you start to push your body out of it's "comfort zone" lactate acid acculmulates in the blood and will make your lungs burn, cause shortness of breath, legs to be on fire, and mind convinced that you're done. With experiance you will learn how much further you can push your body, and make it up and over a hill, then experiance a recovery while riding in the back of the group. Your second wind was probably due to recovering from the burn, that shows you have developed fitness to be able to come back with a good cadence and speed. BTW, nice job on the cadence and let us know about Big Dog #4.

Thanks for the caution Mojo. I came to these forums some time ago with a question on resting and recovery because I had been pushing too hard. I still suffer a bit from the early pushing too hard but it is getting better. I know it will take time and I take at least a day off between hard rides. It has to be remembered that for now ever ride with the road crew is a hard ride for me. But one day off seems to be working.

Jet, I realize that the people I am riding with have been riding together for a long time before I came along. They know the places we are going to ride to and they know where they can push and where they can kick back a bit. For the most part they are at that point where improving their equipment is as much help as anything else. Two or three of them take a spinning class twice a week. Their commitment to fitness gives them a deserved advantage I have yet to earn. I need time and miles and a major tune up of my engine.

Yet another success story...I cannot wait for part 4. However, I am with Mojo and I hate reading about sore knees. Keep it up but listen to your body - Train hard: recover harder.:)

BTW, where do you do the hammerfests? I lived in SD, LA and Orange County.

Yet another success story...I cannot wait for part 4. However, I am with Mojo and I hate reading about sore knees. Keep it up but listen to your body - Train hard: recover harder.:)

BTW, where do you do the hammerfests? I lived in SD, LA and Orange County.

You have me bracketed pretty well. I don't know if you would call these hammerfests because I have heard there is an ever faster group that meets in the afternoons on my rest days. I live in Riverside County and just moved here from San Bernardino County. One of our group is planning on riding from Irvine to San Diego for the MD ride in October. He is going with his son and daughter but his son will be riding the 150 while he and his daughter are only doing the 100. I don’t believe I am ready for that ride this year even if I think the 100 is not out of reason. But I will be in Colorado or New Mexico when the ride takes place.

Bob