New Personal Best
04-02-06, 03:19 PM
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New Personal Best
The weather forecast for today looked great, and it was. Sunny skies, temperatures in the mid 60s, and not too much wind. I spent the better part of yesterday evening getting my rear derailleur adjusted, since upshifts were getting very sluggish. I wasn't sure if I'd quite gotten it right, but I went ahead and cleaned and lubed everything up in preparation for today.
I've been riding the roads in the city all winter (about 600 miles since January 1), and I really needed a change in scenery. I went out to the bike trail for some no-brainer flat riding. I didn't really have any plans, but it turned into a "beat my old speed record" day. My old record was 17.8 mph over a distance of 26 miles. Today I did 44 miles at 18 mph. It was hard, but at least my gearing was working properly. The few other times I've gotten into this mode I crushed my old record by almost 1 mph, but I really had to push this time to get out of the 17s, and I only barely made it. At least now I can relax. It's a good thing I didn't go much farther, I was really close to falling apart at the end, and I'm sore and tired now. I should've brought more food, but I guess that happens when you aren't planning things.
I've been riding the roads in the city all winter (about 600 miles since January 1), and I really needed a change in scenery. I went out to the bike trail for some no-brainer flat riding. I didn't really have any plans, but it turned into a "beat my old speed record" day. My old record was 17.8 mph over a distance of 26 miles. Today I did 44 miles at 18 mph. It was hard, but at least my gearing was working properly. The few other times I've gotten into this mode I crushed my old record by almost 1 mph, but I really had to push this time to get out of the 17s, and I only barely made it. At least now I can relax. It's a good thing I didn't go much farther, I was really close to falling apart at the end, and I'm sore and tired now. I should've brought more food, but I guess that happens when you aren't planning things.
04-02-06, 06:30 PM
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You'll sleep well tonight.
04-02-06, 10:58 PM
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JJ: Sounds like you may not be adequately hydrating and eating. Anybody can finish two hard hours w/ little water and no food, but any further and you'll bonk/cramp/faw down go boom. If you only get in two w/o crashing, your post-ride recovery will be really tough. I defer to the gods who monitor and post on this site for links to good nutrition sites, but that's the next stop I'd recommend. Oh - and more base miles. And core strengthening. And riding in a group. And...
04-03-06, 05:15 AM
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I do all those things Sooner...don't be so patronizing. Also, don't assume that "anyone" can finish two hard hours without food and little water. I know lots of people who need to eat on rides that are half this long. We're not all randonneurs. I couldn't imagine trying to do a road race, which is about that same distance, but a good 6 mph faster. 
