Originally Posted by sarals

I did the Tuesday Group Ride (the No Real Job Ride), which was a challenge. The pace was high, as it was with the Saturday group, but I was determined to stay with it and turn it into a hammer ride for me. The group split after the first five easy miles, and I went off the front with the "A" group. There were the usual fast suspects up there, plus a gal by the name of BJ who is just incredible. Five miles further on I began the feel the effects on not being warmed up enough and my legs loaded up and then I faded. Off the back I went. I just cannot clear lactic acid from legs efficiently until I've been working for at least 45 minutes. My legs slow down and then won't produce any power.

I managed to recover and after a regroup I rejoined the rear of the A group, along with some other folks who had worked their way up there, and I stayed with them. The long climb, Barloy Canyon Road, was a test, as it always is, and I ran my heart rate up to 150 - 154 while climbing that hill, managed an average of 6.4 MPH (slow, but fast for me), and did NOT stop to recover at the top. I was third on the descent of the Steps (42.7 MPH), and third to the gate where the ride regroups for the ending field sprint. I didn't do the sprint, I had my mind focused elsewhere, but the ride was good overall - not great, but good, averaged 13.4 MPH (the climbs do slow me down).

I mentioned the gal rider named BJ? I don't know all of the details about her, I haven't talked with her that much, but I do know she was a high level cycle racer in Colorado some years back and has many awards and trophies to back that up. She is incredibly fast - I've ridden in pace lines with her pulling - at 26 MPH! She climbs extremely well, in fact she does everything extremely well. And - she's going to be 72 years old, as she said, "very soon". I asked her what her secret was? "I live on top of a ridge. I do an hour of riding a day, with 1000 feet of climbing in the ride. It keeps me going." Yes it does! She's an inspiration, and she's a great person.