Little disappointed but still a good ride.
#1
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Little disappointed but still a good ride.
I had planned on finishing August off with another milestone ride. There is a local road that runs along a creek for about 20 miles and usually has very little traffic. My plan was to ride the 20 miles up stream then 20 back for a new personal best 40 mile ride. I really didn't think that it would be a hard ride because while it is uphill going upstream it is only about a 2% grade. Well I was wrong, At about the 11 mile mark my legs were starting to really feel the sting and even when I went to easier gears it wouldn't go away. My speed started dropping off and my legs just felt like lead. I stopped for a little bit and had to decide weather I would try to push on or turn around short of my goal. Since I still had to do the return ride and felt like my tank was empty I thought it best to turn around. I had made it about 13 miles out, but just didn't think I had enough left to make it to 20. The return ride was much easier and went by quicker than I expected, my legs even got to feeling better by the end of the ride. All told I still did a personal best of just over 25 miles but was very disappointed in my lack of fitness. When I got home I got to looking at my training log and realized that due to life getting in the way I really hadn't done many long rides last month and just hadn't conditioned myself for the longer ride. So this month I am going to try do some interval training at least one day a week and work on increasing my daily mileage. At least now I have a new goal, I will do that 40 mile trip before winter gets here.
#2
SuperGimp
Well, you know what they say... fall of the horse, get back on... if you don't try you won't succeed etc etc etc. 2% isn't a lot but it translates into 100 feet per mile.
Now you have a goal!
You can't expect miracles right away, as annoying as that is. 25 is a solid ride too, and depending on the heat it can be a bear. Congrats on a solid effort.
Did you eat enough? Drink enough? Was it hotter than normal out? I don't think you need to eat anything special for a 25 mile ride and water is usually sufficient, but that presumes you had breakfast first. (I'm assuming you rode in the morning) I'm just reading into your "tank felt empty" comment. I like to drink watery gatorade when it's really hot out, and I'll have a clif bar at the half way point of a ride that's 40 or 50 miles long.
Now you have a goal!
You can't expect miracles right away, as annoying as that is. 25 is a solid ride too, and depending on the heat it can be a bear. Congrats on a solid effort.
Did you eat enough? Drink enough? Was it hotter than normal out? I don't think you need to eat anything special for a 25 mile ride and water is usually sufficient, but that presumes you had breakfast first. (I'm assuming you rode in the morning) I'm just reading into your "tank felt empty" comment. I like to drink watery gatorade when it's really hot out, and I'll have a clif bar at the half way point of a ride that's 40 or 50 miles long.
#3
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Thanks for sharing that!
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I have NEVER regretted going on a ride;
I have often regretted not going when I could have!
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I have NEVER regretted going on a ride;
I have often regretted not going when I could have!
I am grateful for the headwind that challenged me today!
I am grateful for the tailwind that helped me go fast!
Clydesdales and Athenas Strava Club
https://www.strava.com/clubs/clydesda...bikeforums-net
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I probably did go a little light on breakfast, lesson learned. I think I just hit my cardio limit, really need to work on my breathing. I don't think it was so much muscle fatigue as lactic acid build up because once I got going downhill and was able to stretch it out bit my legs quit hurting and I wasn't really sore when it was all said and done. I need to work on building up my endurance if I want to go farther. I am going to have to get a cadence meter, because I thought I was doing good gear wise and my legs weren't burning until I hit the wall. It was a different burn than when I mash too much. Oh well, it was a good assessment of where I am, and what I need to work on.
#5
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You probably pushed too hard at the start - common mistake when you start doing longer rides. Good job on a new best though, and I bet next time you attempt that ride you finish it with ease.
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