Fifty Plus (50+) - I'm not so slow after all!

Great experience this morning.I'm heading to work on my bike getting ready to take the Greenway downtown to Central Park.(New York City)The Greenway is a lovely totally isolated bicycle path along the Hudson River and if uncrowded you can ride pretty fast.To my surprise the West Side Highway which is parralel was filled with Bicyclists and closed to Auto traffic for the New York Triatholon.I decided to join the cyclists for my 5 miles downtown for no reason other than it would be a change of pace from the regular routine.Well anyway I got caught up in the competitive atmosphere and I started to fly with the big boys!It's amazing how much faster you go when in a group or amongst competitors!When I checked the Garmin at the end of the ride I had done that 5 mile split at 21.2 MPH!For me that is 4 Mph faster than I ever did that stretch on the greenway or any comparitive flat stretch of road in the past!Yes only 5 miles but there wasn't a wind and I was in my sandles.Riding is to a large degree psychological.Adrenalin starts flowing in groups much more than when alone!I'm a 14 MPH average rider on 50-60 miles on a good day.In other words, mediocre.But I usually ride alone.

I am glad you had a good time ridding with the tri folks but its really not looked at as the thing to do. If you would have caused a problem, or even been involved in a incident it would not have gone well for you. Those people paid a lot of money and put a tremendous amount of training into that event and would not have looked kindly at an outsider messing with them.
Just saying.

I am glad you had a good time ridding with the tri folks but its really not looked at as the thing to do. If you would have caused a problem, or even been involved in a incident it would not have gone well for you. Those people paid a lot of money and put a tremendous amount of training into that event and would not have looked kindly at an outsider messing with them.
Just saying.

I am glad you had a good time ridding with the tri folks but its really not looked at as the thing to do. If you would have caused a problem, or even been involved in a incident it would not have gone well for you. Those people paid a lot of money and put a tremendous amount of training into that event and would not have looked kindly at an outsider messing with them.
Just saying.
In retrospect I think you're right.How ever I asked the Policeman watching the entrance if i could go in and he said sure why not.Be assured I didn't interfere with anyone but you're right it could have been disastrous.I also wasn't aware at the time of those huge entrance fees.