Good Ride This Morning
Getting ready for my first longer ride, so I went 25 miles this morning on a new route. The first half took me up to the lake where I stopped to check my pace per mile and to get a drink. I also talked to an older gentleman who asked me if I'd ever been on a longer bike ride, one that spans a couple of days. We chatted for a minute or two then he went on his way to fish, and I went on my way to start home.
As I sat there, looking at my pace per mile for the ride to the lake, I basked in the six miles during which I maintained 18 miles an hour or faster. Two of the miles were at 20 mph. Go me! With the glow of triumph enveloping me, I started the trek back. Less than a quarter mile into the return ride, the glow disappeared, the breathing became labored, and the legs started to feel the burn. When had the wind come up? And this wasn't just a slight breeze. This was a 10 mph, blowing the cattails by the roadside wind.
To add insult to injury, after the two hills leading away from the boat ramp, I realized a longer, slight incline loomed in front of me. Once I reached the top of it, the road flattened out for a little ways then started up again. Not only had the wind been at my back on the way to the lake, but I'd been riding slight declines much of the way. Needless to say, the ride home was much slower, much tougher. No 18 or 20 mph miles this time. Nope. The fastest mile on the way back was a 16 mph. Most stayed around the 14 mph area.
But in the end I did get 25 miles in. I'm good with that, and I'm kinda excited about doing the same route again to see if I can improve my speed on the way back.
As I sat there, looking at my pace per mile for the ride to the lake, I basked in the six miles during which I maintained 18 miles an hour or faster. Two of the miles were at 20 mph. Go me! With the glow of triumph enveloping me, I started the trek back. Less than a quarter mile into the return ride, the glow disappeared, the breathing became labored, and the legs started to feel the burn. When had the wind come up? And this wasn't just a slight breeze. This was a 10 mph, blowing the cattails by the roadside wind.
To add insult to injury, after the two hills leading away from the boat ramp, I realized a longer, slight incline loomed in front of me. Once I reached the top of it, the road flattened out for a little ways then started up again. Not only had the wind been at my back on the way to the lake, but I'd been riding slight declines much of the way. Needless to say, the ride home was much slower, much tougher. No 18 or 20 mph miles this time. Nope. The fastest mile on the way back was a 16 mph. Most stayed around the 14 mph area.
But in the end I did get 25 miles in. I'm good with that, and I'm kinda excited about doing the same route again to see if I can improve my speed on the way back.
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