Got up a little late this morning, too late for a club ride and my main riding partner was out of town. I grabbed a a banana some GORP and filled two water bottles And jumped on my bike for a ride of indeterminant length. IT was cool and almost windless so I headed down the Santa Ana River Trail, here in Orange County California. I live at one end of the trail and its 27.5 Miles to the Beach. I resisted starting off to fast but soon settled into my 18-19mph pace about mile 10 I caught up with another biker eligible for our forum and soon saw our speed increase to 20. We passed a thirty something on a nice bike aand then he passed us. We sped up a bit caught, passed and dropped him. We even passed a pack of 20 somethings and dropped them as well. I couldnt resist a mild insult as we went by.
! We slowed and chatted for a couple minutes and he told me he was turning around at mile 10 and asked how far I was going. Just then I remembered the "Birthday Ride" and told him "maybe all they way to the beach". Although I have been only riding for a little over a year and only averaging 100 miles or so a week I had made this ride at least a dozen times and except for the first time and the first time after an injury completed it easily. I got to my favorite part of the ride, a treeline shaded section slightly downhill and hammerred for 3/4 mile and accidentally dropped my partner for the last half hour or so. No big deal since this is where he was turning back anyway and I was going to the beach. I reached the Pacific Ocean in near PB time ! I rode along the beach for another 3 miles and briefly considered riding a town or two over to get the ride into the 60's or 70's ! I stopped for ice and gatorade refills and ate my half banana at abeach consession. I watched the girls for no more than 5 minutes and headed back. I felt great. Bacj to the beach head I was a little over 30 miles and headed back up the trail towards home. I am usally fast in this section 18.5 to 19 as there is almost always a tail wind. Strangely I was going a a full mph slower yet my heart monitor showed that I was working pretty hard. At mile 35 I passed a couple of cute but not very young biker chicks on nice bikes with their clubs colors. I assumed they were the tail end of a club ride. I passed them but I didnt really drop them. And they were really taking it easy...talking about men ! I got to mile 40 and was having trouble keeping 16 mph. There was shade and a restroom at mile 42 or so on this trip so stopped for a minute. I ate a power bar that I keep in my wedge and jumped back on the bike. Still the ride was getting difficult. The micro hills where the trail goes under cross streets were kicking my butt ! By mile 45 I was sufferring !!!
. I was heading for the dreaded BONK!!!!!
JUst then I remembered since I hadnt planned any specific mileage I had skipped breakfast. I was running out of fuel. I was plenty hydrated. I wasnt hungry. I even got my heart rate down to the 130's by slwing down to 15. Mile 50 I contemplated calling the wife for SAG support. I struggled on dipping to 14.5 mph over stretches that I do 19 or 20 on day rides. I had one small hill to climb at mile 55. I had wished I had bought that 12/27 but could do nothing about it now. I had to stand in my lowes gear (39/12 ?) to get up that last hill. I occupied myself by composing this for the last 3 miles and actually felt better and was going a little faster thanks to the freshening off shore wind that was pushing me along. Sorry about the long post and happy birthday. Final tally 58.1 Miles in a pathetic 3:34 an average of 16.4Mph since I am 55 I guess I made
my goal. Warning: at our age prepare for the ride you are taking! Have a 400 clorie breakfast 2 hours before a long ride and you will avoid the BONK!!!