Last week-end I did my1st metric century of the year (with the implication that I'll do more?…After aparting of the way with my friend, who opted for a shorter route I continued onmy own. Being a reasonably experienced rider, I kept a comfortable paceuntil...
At the rest stop I got to chattingwitha younger fit rider with whom I started riding… By the time we were about15 miles from home, I was pretty well toasted. At the last rest stop I finallygave up the ghost and he rode off with another faster rider. That last 15 mileswas all about trying to keep the leg cramps down to a dull roar.
Now intellectually I know better than to ride outside of my comfort zone, atleast on a longer more strenuous distance….A painful statement in the case forpace!
Originally Posted by
freedomrider1
It happens...sounds like you had a good time over all.
My aphorism when riding a challenging ride is “ride your own pace.” Not only riding too fast (with someone), but also not riding too slow (with someone) either. It sounds self-absorbed, but IMO that’s the best way to assure completion. I make that clear whatever I ride with someone, particularly if I hook up with a stranger.
In my ride description of a previous Fifty-Plus Annual Ride, I wrote:
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
…Freedomrider, Irwin, John, rtool and I found each other at about 7:00 AM…Freedomrider, Irwin and I started out together and by agreement we rode our own paces so I left them early…
The other two finished the ride in a timely manner, but I crashed well after the ride strung out at about mile 94 of my intended century. So acounter-argument to riding your own pace is that the solitude might be risky.
When I do occasionally ride a long organized ride, my strategy is to start early, so that perhaps a slightly faster group might pick me up and let me draft. Alternatively, I might catch up to an equivalently matched rider or group, and we can pull each other along.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 06-24-16 at 05:38 AM.