bananabacon

Anyone else notice this or is it just me?
Routinely I have noticed that my times are better on the later half of most of my rides. Practically all rides that have been trekked go out about 12-18 miles out with a return to point A which is usually home.

The past several times I have purposely ridden 3-4 miles first to warm up the body. Assuming that 4 miles is enough for a beginner to warm up I timed myself again. Same result. I took into account hill climbs and aggressive downhills knowing that you may climb more on your way to point B. vs traveling back to point A. so I planned a trip at my parents house where the ride was country side flats with tons of scenic bends (Now that was an enlightening ride!!). Same result. Better times on the way home. Lastly I do notice that one becomes more in tune with the bike, not only pedaling more athletically but more rhythmically as well. What gives?

Hope this makes sense since I have been criticized plenty for sounding silly

Bunyanderman

Better warm up, now if this happens on a 50+ mile ride then definitely not.

caloso

The racehorse smells the barn.

DrIsotope

I wish I could warm up in 4 miles. The more I ride, and the longer the rides get, I don't seem to hit my rhythm until like mile 15.

dcsix

"Hope this makes sense since I have been criticized plenty for sounding silly"

Well you're the one who went with bananabacon...

But seriously, that is a real thing for me, too. By the time I finish my 15 or 20 or 25 mile ride and I'm pedaling up my street to call it quits, I frequently just want to rip past the house and keep going. My legs feel two or three times stronger at the end of the ride than they did at the beginning.

PepeM

Is the way back downhill?

Lazyass

Always stronger in the latter half of rides. I don't start feeling strong until at least mile 10.

Stratocaster

I have a 7.5 mile loop I do, and there's a very steep, long hill near the end of it. My 2nd time up that hill seems considerably easier than the first time around. I guess it takes me a while to warm up.

MikeyBoyAz

Power meter and chest strap to show the change in HR and POWER? Perhaps borrow someone's and then you'll know if it's the placebo effect. I warm up for 20 minutes on a regularly scheduled ride.

generalkdi

Do longer rides.

Dave Cutter

When newly returned to cycling.... I remember being worn out in distances that are now within a warm-up.

ZippyThePinhead

Rode down to the beach about a week ago on a very warm day, about 45 miles round-trip. The average on the way down was 19mph, according to my Garmin, but much slower on the way back. There was a headwind on the way back, it was uncomfortably warm (95F at the end of the ride, according to the Garmin, but it felt hotter than that), and I was a lot more tired. I averaged 16 and change for the whole ride, so the return trip dragged the average way down. I'd been off the bike for a couple weeks, and my heart rate was running about 10bpm higher than usual, even to hold 14mph on the basically flat route while riding against the wind.

There are many variables that can muddy the waters. Some days my legs feel like they are in rebellion until I've gone 15-20 miles. Others, I feel good right out of the gate.

OP, I agree: do some longer rides, see how you feel then.

DrIsotope

Distance/duration seems to impact less than temperature. I've finished metrics doing +20mph on the home stretch in temperate weather, and also finished them struggling for 14mph when it's closing in on 100º. I generally feel like I have "heavy legs" for at least the first 10 miles, particularly if there are hills in those first ten. Unfortunately, usually when I'm hitting my stride, the sun is getting higher in the sky and the heat starts to take it's toll. Sometimes having no real seasons has it's drawbacks. Got home from today's ride and it was only 92º, and fared a lot better than getting home the day before at 99º.

mvnsnd

This. Try for 30 - 40 mile ride.

YogaKat

I've noticed this to be true for me as well. I just figured after a certain point endorphins kick in.

Nikephoros

I dunno, the last hour of my centuries tend to be the fastest hour. Most painful? yes. Most power? yes. Highest heart rate? Yes.

My guess is psychologically most people would rather be conservative and keep something in the tank for the last 20% of their ride than risk going hard from the start and blowing up halfway.

bananabacon

So.
Longer warm ups
Longer rides (seems that I could be throwing in the towel when I actually gear up my body?)
Invest in some sort of physical/watt monitor
Endorphin's

It seems to make sense. I haven't been able to commit to full blown training the past two months which is why I am struggling with the 40 mile ride mark. As in if one were to practice 40 mile+ rides each time I'd burn out my legs.

I like the whole "The racehorse smells the barn" train of thought. But I do find myself getting more excited when one spots a fellow rider in the distance and slowly closing the gap then a successful pass. Doesn't work all the time. Sometimes there is a rider who is baiting me then toys with me as I get close :-)

berner

It's one of the mysteries of the Universe like dark energy. No one knows where it comes from - just that it is t here.

Dan333SP

The 2nd half of this ride was clearly faster. I just can't figure out why. Also an out and back route. Any guesses?

kc0bbq

The first half was downhill and you didn't feel like pedaling, and then you hammered really, really hard back up to the top?

bbbean 

There's a reason racers warm up before a race.

DrIsotope

I did the same thing, the return was slightly faster than the out.



Can't quite put my finger on it.

10 Wheels

Our group didn't start top race til we passed 60 miles.

Dan333SP

I wish. Total elevation gained on this ride?

kc0bbq

Holy cow, that's like magic.