Exercise Anyone?????????????

[Fenlason]

Todays ride was 35 miles. It was supposed to be a slow group... and we just wanted to get on the bike for a recovery ride. I never rode with this group before.. hearing they just gave you a map.. and you were alone.. and they rode like 10mph..

Well I would not call them a fast group.. but it was much better than that. We did fairly often regroup.. and once again we turned back getting a few more miles on.. just under 35.. compared to their 29+.

A friend Jim.. was the leader of this particular ride. and mentioned before hand.. that it is a causual ride.. but that my wife and I on the tandem would probably ride off the front.. but would loop around. He said something about we would ride fast.. or something.. which of course puts a target on our back. to anyone else wanting to hammer.. or having something to prove..

We took off easy.. and Leanne.. who we ride with a bit.. was actually trying to sit on our wheel.. [she never does that] So I kept it at a moderate pace so she could draft..

We also had another couple of "hotshots" sitting in.

5 or so miles into it.. with us pulling all the way into a headwind.. one of the hot shots.. blows by us on a hill. Which is really quite similar to waving a red flag to a bull...

Sorry Leanne.. I countered and blew back by leaving him behind.. until our next turn around.

It is really not wise to do that.. especially if you don't have enough to stay away. We played a bit more..

at times we even got to blow by him on some uphills..

later on.. he and one other guy.. we chasing us.. they taking turns pulling.. us alone. There is a section with a long gradual downhill.. followed by an uphill.. toward the top of the uphill they were closing [of course they were still going down... over the top it goes gradually back down. and then rolls for a few miles to the next intersection. Once over the top.. I picked up the pace again.. and never saw them.. until we turned and passed each other going in opposite directions.

We played a little more through the ride.

[mk10108]

My neighbor Larry returned from vacation and rode this morning.

31.40 miles averaged 17.30 Heart rate in zone 2 (46%) & 3 (45%) of the time.

FREAKING AWESOME. BEST EVER for me.

[Fenlason]

My neighbor Larry returned from vacation and rode this morning.

31.40 miles averaged 17.30 Heart rate in zone 2 (46%) & 3 (45%) of the time.

FREAKING AWESOME. BEST EVER for me.

congratulations!!!! that's great !!!

[Fenlason]

an easy 20 miles tonight..

[mk10108]

Long week on the road and finally got seat time on Saturday. Lisa made the annual trek to share the kids with her clan, so with no honey do list, I stepped off with no destination in mind but mentally noted wind direction. Rolled onto Franklin headed north and thought a visit to my LBS was in order to thank them again for their work.

Arrived but the mechanic was off so I lapped the wares and gazed upon a Arkel Trailrider trunk bag. Their last one was black but this being red, resistance was futile. Complemented function with form and happily reached for the wallet but wondered if old age merged with fashion and concluded I've viewed one to many designer show.



Feeling good, rolled north to trail and swore only a few miles before heading home but knew even thoughts can lie. No hammer but upped the pace enjoying the benefits of the trail. A young lady rolled passed and returned the favor. Swapped a few leads and chatted a bit. A runner working her first Tri's, doing saddle time. Before separating, wished each other safe journey. Flashed back to Lisa's first Tri and recalled her in the aeros, power spinning to minimize the damage of two flats.

Hypnotized by rhythmic cadence passed the turn home without concern. Do enough trail, one becomes adept at rider profiling and can ascertain rank with clothing, frame materials and attitude which is why my gauge went bonkers easing up on Dewayne. A fully carbon kitted spin jockey with body mass sprinters dream about...rolling 15. Said hi and asked how was his day. Good the reply and reported being off the bike for 3 months due to his fathers illness. Prognosis was not good and took time with himself seeking refuge with the trail.

About 48 miles into the "short ride" headed home. Stopped at a Starbucks grabbed a sandwich and enjoyed the AC. Finished with too much sun on my thighs and logging 72 miles.

[Fenlason]

I have been riding all along.. but with everyone else gone.. I stopped posting.

We did a century a little while ago.. we were on a group ride.. the group did 70... we doubled back and was able to stretch it to 91... and when we were nearly back we went out and added the extra 9.

We have also done some fast [for us rides] a week and a half ago.. with just Greg [on his single] and Laurie and I ... cranked.. I don't recall the ave. 21.9 I think. He with his wife on the tandem.. they would not be able to keep up.

So the following Monday we did it again.. with them on their tandem.. and we did it at 23.

We pulled most of it. We also lost a bit of our ave. going through a town.. traffic lights ect.

[Fenlason]

Tonight's group ride was interesting. We had 30 riders..

some new to our group.. some it seems with something to prove.

to bad they failed...

One lady racer.. who rode early season and was dropped pretty quickly.. thought she would try again. She said she was good for 20mph.. we dropped her halfway to our first stop.. and we had only aveeraged 19.5


Early on in the ride.. there are some pretty significant hills. It also takes me a while to warm up. I pulled the few miles to the hills and was attacked on the way up. There were I think eventually 6 ahead of us. Two of them were dropped from the front group. We caught and just rode by these 2..then further up.. 2 more were peeled.. and we did the same to them. we did also catch the others... but stayed back as we were about to stop to regroup.

At the stop.. one of the guys we had passed said we were really fast downhill. I said once we were warmed up.. we were fast 'everywhere" and I made sure to later pass [and drop him] on an uphill.

After the stop.. we ride about a mile.. then start up a 3 mile climb. A few people have headed out ahead of us. I refused to pull for the one's that had used us earlier. My friends on their tandem.. are a bit up ahead.. and I do eventually work to the front of our group.. to bridge up to the front.
Before I get there.. and on the last pitch of the climb.. one of "my" guys.. goes flying by in an attack He used us to bring him close to the front group.. and he was attacking to bridge. In a matter of seconds.. he started to slow.. we stood.. and screamed back by him.. I looked back at him.. shaking my head "fool"

It seems people seemed to underestimate.. how much of a break from the wind, they get behind a tandem.

The last 12 miles or so of the ride.. are fast and rolling. I don't attack.. I just go to the front.. with them on my wheel.. and we hammer... just a nice and steady.. and fairly fast pull. I am hoping to either give them a good pull...make them hurt a little, or if they can't happen to hang on... that's ok also.

We peeled almost everyone off. The other tandem was with us until the very end.. and our regular Steve was with us until he turns off for home. just before he peels off.. there is another climb.. a 1/2 mile or so long.. not steep.. but it is still pretty painful trying to go fast. He has been pulling for us up this.

He has been quite some time learning to pull for us.. but is starting to get the hang of it. He did a great job tonight.

It was a fun ride...

[mk10108]

Correct....I was third man being pulled by some young bucks. rolling slight down incline and showing 60 watts an 23 mph.

Not posting as much. Work is getting hectic but still making time to ride. Watching the tour and cracked up when Liphimer said about a climb "just put on your ugly face".

[Fenlason]

thunderstorms Wed. night. Last night a fairly casual 27 mile ride.

Some people are taking today off and doing an 80 or so miler.

[MountainBiker]

Just found this thread...it's great
Nice to hear what other riders are doing
My rides are limited right now because I am not supposed to ride by myself for medical reasons.
I have only done two centuries this year, the last about three weeks, and am only averaging 100 km a week. I am riding about 8km's per hour slower than last year, but am slowly feeling my strength coming back
I am supposed to do an 8 hour MTB race tomorrow, but have decided to withdraw because it is the same course I had my bad crash on last year (though they have taken the rocky section I crashed on, out )
Rode with a friend on Wednesday. We did just over 30km and spent the evening racing stop sign to stop sign, and racing hill climbs. It's a good workout doing that, and a lot of fun. We race for points and bragging rights. I lost

[Fenlason]

Hey Mountainbiker...

[Fenlason]

Just found this thread...it's great
Nice to hear what other riders are doing
My rides are limited right now because I am not supposed to ride by myself for medical reasons.
I have only done two centuries this year, the last about three weeks, and am only averaging 100 km a week. I am riding about 8km's per hour slower than last year, but am slowly feeling my strength coming back
I am supposed to do an 8 hour MTB race tomorrow, but have decided to withdraw because it is the same course I had my bad crash on last year (though they have taken the rocky section I crashed on, out )
Rode with a friend on Wednesday. We did just over 30km and spent the evening racing stop sign to stop sign, and racing hill climbs. It's a good workout doing that, and a lot of fun. We race for points and bragging rights. I lost

It sounds like something serious going on.. or had happened. glad to hear you are ridding again..

[Fenlason]

Saturday's ride.. ended up not a very pleasant one. Part way through.. my wife lost her form.. and had nothing left fitness wise.... it was a real struggle getting back.

We had hoped to turn the groups 80 miler into a century. The groups milage ended up in the low 70's.. early on we were able to add..and we ended with 81.

once home I did go back out and ride 19 more on my single bike.

[MountainBiker]

Hi Fenlason,

In Canada we run two types of centuries. The 100km, which we call the Century ride, and 160km (100 miles) which we call the True Centrury. I guess you are talking 100miles
Just came back from McRae Provincial Park. First time I didn't take my bike camping, but maybe the break will do me good.
I will start building up my riding base this week and see how things go.
There is the Hilly Hundred in Sept and the 50km of Single Track in Oct. I want to do one, but will see how fast I can get back into shape.

[Fenlason]

Hi Fenlason,

In Canada we run two types of centuries. The 100km, which we call the Century ride, and 160km (100 miles) which we call the True Centrury. I guess you are talking 100miles
Just came back from McRae Provincial Park. First time I didn't take my bike camping, but maybe the break will do me good.
I will start building up my riding base this week and see how things go.
There is the Hilly Hundred in Sept and the 50km of Single Track in Oct. I want to do one, but will see how fast I can get back into shape.

Hi MountainBiker.. yeah when I say century.. I mean 100 miles.. we do have 100km rides also and call them Metric Centuries.

I am feeling at a bit of a flat spot.. I am not sure if I am over trained and need a break.. or what.

We rode about an hour and a half on our trails [out my back door] most of it was at a moderate intensity, and I expect I will take it relatively easy on tomorrow nights group road ride..