My first real back to back daytime road bike rides since the May injury when I was hit by a car. Shoulder has improved enough to support me on the bike, although it still has limited range of motion and is painful to lift overhead. Before this weekend I could handle only about one outdoor ride per week.
40 miles, 20 of it with a group, on an afternoon with the temp at 107. Felt great until the last few miles on the way home when the shoulder and neck were cramping. But by then I was riding solo and didn't need to worry about anyone else's pace. Despite the heat and my lack of real heat adaptation this summer I felt great that night, just a bit tired the next day.
And another 38 miles Saturday morning with a group, including a large group ride on the runway at the Fort Worth Joint Reserve base, an annual event, but my first time. Fun. There's nowhere else in town with a continuous 5-6 mile loop that's almost perfectly flat and well maintained. Even without being in peak condition, and with a fairly stiff wind, I was able to maintain 17 mph on the 5 mile loop and 24 mph on the 2 mile straightaway for the first of my two runs around the loop.
But that was only upper middle of the pack. Some local very strong riders set new records working together in a paceline. They would have lapped me if I'd stuck around for a third go 'round the loop but I pulled off. It was impressive watching them work together from across the airfield. They did the 5 mile loop at nearly 26 mph, which included fighting a 15-20 mph headwind for 2 miles of that loop (and tailwind on the opposite side of the airfield). But where the paceline really worked was the 2 mile straightaway into the wind. I was struggling to do 12 mph solo. Their paceline was tight and averaged almost 18 mph. I think they were riding conventional drop bar bikes, not TT bikes or aero bars.
I think I'll rest Sunday. The Saturday ride was fun and I took it very slow going home, but the temp peaked at 110 by the time I got home and I feel like a limp noodle.
Large group waiting to enter Joint Reserve Base on Fort Worth's west side for annual ride around the runway -- the only long flat stretch in the area.
Large group waiting to enter Joint Reserve Base on Fort Worth's west side for annual ride around the runway -- the only long flat stretch in the area.