2010 Daffodil Classic

[XMcShiftersonX]

Is anyone else planning on doing this ride? I just registered for the 61.2 mile route!

-Jessica

[NbyNW]

I'm homesick. :( Nothing blooming here yet!

Enjoy your ride -- would love to see some pictures!

[Susan126]

I registered for the 61.2 mile course too! :D I think I will be ready for a 60 mile ride by April 18th! Also, if it's not raining and the weather is nice I think I will be doing the CATS ride this Saturday. I hope they are true to their posting because I plan to ride in the 16-18 mph group.

[XMcShiftersonX]

I'm with you too Susan! I hope it doesn't rain this Saturday either but right now it looks like that's what is in the forecast. I'm so bummed because I've been really looking forward to the ride and joining that group. Have you done the Daffodil Classic before? It doesn't look like there is a well defined start time so me and a friend of mine were thinking of starting around 9am.

[Susan126]

I know Jessica, I was looking at the long week forecast and it does look like rain on Saturday (king 5 says scattered showers but they're just covering their bases). I'm totally bummed because I was looking forward to that ride too. Darn, dang, and blaaaa! I have done the Daffodil Classic a few times and basically sign in is between 7 and noon. I usually start around 8 or 9 myself. It will challenge you and the food stops are fantastic. The CATS April 10th ride is a full lake loop (52 miles). It looks like the ride goes clock wise around Lake Washington. If it's not raining (ahem) I will do that one.

[XMcShiftersonX]

Well currently I'm trying to decide what time I want to start the Daffodil Classic. I'm not an early riser so 9 would be good for me. However, my friend and her sister that I had originally talked about doing it with are going to start at 7:30. My other friend who may do it would like to start no earlier than 9.

I was looking forward to the CATS ride this week because it was going to be a fairly flat ride, so I could see if I would do okay with them. hmmm. Right now I hate the weather... a week+ of no outside bike time?! BLEH! :mad: I don't know when I'll be able to do another group ride. I work the weekend after this one and then the next ride is the day before the Daffodil Classic, so I'd probably either take the day off or do an easy ride rather than the ride they're doing that week. Bummer!

[Susan126]

Maybe we can meet at the Daffodil Classic? Not that we will ride together because you guys are young and probably a lot faster than I am. You are my son's age. I have a son who will be 26 in July and a daughter who will be 28 in April. Right now I'm working hard to get back in shape. Maybe we will have nice weather this Saturday :) and then we can meet and ride at the CATS ride! I hope so. It looks like today is turning into a nice day. I think I will have to get my bike out later this afternoon and go for a short bike ride. :D

Sue

[XMcShiftersonX]

I was just going to ask you if you wanted to ride together at the Daffodil Classic! It seems like you and I have a lot in common, cycling-wise anyways. It turns out my friend that was going to do it and wanted to start no later than 9, decided not to do it afterall. And then my other two friends don't want to start any later than 7:30, which I think is too early! I was actually worried that you may be faster than me! :D So, if we end up not being about the same pace, we can do our own things. But do you want to plan to meet around the start at 9? I also hope this Saturday works out, then we could meet finally!

-Jessica

P.S. - I'm jealous that you get to ride today:) I'm stuck at work! I did 20 minutes of the Have Mercy DVD on my trainer last night and called it a night!

[Susan126]

That sounds great Jessica! Let's meet at the Daffodil start at 9 AM. I'll PM you my cell phone number too. But I'm still hoping Saturday will come through for us.

I was lucky today to get a ride in. I think I beat the rain. Only a short 12 mile ride but at least it was a ride. Hey the trainer is the next best thing. I try and go to my gym on the days I can't get out on my bike.

I wish my school district picked next week for our spring break instead of this week. Looking at the long term forecast next week looks lovely.

Sue

[XMcShiftersonX]

Nice! Yeah, cycling outside is just so different. I know spinning or being on the trainer helps, definitely, and I try to either get on the trainer or go to my gym when the weather is bad too. I've been trying to follow the STP training plan... some weeks I go way over the mileage, other weeks I don't get even close. But I think the rides that I do are way more challenging than what is needed for STP, so at least there's that!

[Susan126]

This week was a bust for me. Except for the one ride yesterday, this week was pretty sad. I drove to Spokane twice this week to help my son look for an apartment. He got a new job in Spokane and starts on April 19th. We found a nice apartment today. I just got home about an hour ago and I'm dead tired. The weather looks bad for tomorrow so I guess it's the gym and spinning and maybe some core work too. I'm doubtful about Saturday's ride but will keep checking the weather report. I plan to really start training beginning this week. If the weather allows, I plan on biking on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and do core and strength training on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It sounds like you are doing a great job training for the STP Jessica. Keep it up!

[XMcShiftersonX]

Thank You! It sounds like you're doing great as well! God, I would be exhausted if I drove that much, so I don't blame you! Looks like the weather is supposed to be bad for the next week. So, I'll just have to get in to a gym routine again so I can stay in shape! I usually do 30 minutes on the stationary bike (usually can't stand more than that!), 15 minutes of stretching, and then an hour and 15 minutes of either upper body weights, abs, or lower body weights, and then finish off with the sauna! I actually like it a lot but it still doesn't compare to being outside on the bike (and I got so used to being outside because the weather had been so nice)!

[XMcShiftersonX]

The day is almost here! Anyone else besides us doing this ride? What mileage? What time are you starting? I'm thinking I'll start around 10, do the 60 miler. It's going to be a challenge since the weather wasn't very good the last couple of weeks to train, but it'll be good training for other rides so I'm excited! If anyone else is doing it, I hope you enjoy the ride!

[Susan126]

What a long long day. I was up at 4:00 AM and we (hubby, daughter, and me) left the house at 5:30 AM for Spokane. We rolled in to my son's apartment around 10:30 and unloaded the rest of his stuff from Joe's truck. Then we all went out for lunch before we drove back home. We got in at 5:30 PM and had KFC for dinner. Then I tried to catch up on some laundry and I finally decided to jump on line before heading off to bed. I still plan on getting up early and trying to start riding around 8:00. I can hear the rain pounding outside but the weather report says tomorrow is supposed to be nice and the rain ends tonight. So get your rest and here's to a beautiful Sunday and a great ride! :) Ride reports are expected of your ride please! :) Oh and by the way it was gorgeous sunny and dry and warm in Spokane today! I knew I was back on the west side when we approached the mountains and I saw dark gray clouds clinging to it.

[Susan126]

What a great ride! I rode the metric (but I got a few extra miles in because I missed a turn and had to back track). So my total mileage was 65.41 miles. It was a pretty hard course. Very hilly, lots of chip sealed roads, and we had a crazy headwind most of the ride. A foggy start but the sun quickly burned it away. Great support! I especially enjoyed the second rest stop in Eatonville. They served us beans and rice! Yum! Great views of Mount Rainier the entire course! And strawberry shortcake at the finish!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/Howler247/2010%20Daffodil%20Classic/0418001203.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/Howler247/2010%20Daffodil%20Classic/0418001137.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/Howler247/2010%20Daffodil%20Classic/0418001123.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/Howler247/2010%20Daffodil%20Classic/0418001203b.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/Howler247/2010%20Daffodil%20Classic/0418001203a.jpg

All pictures taken with my cell phone's camera.

[XMcShiftersonX]

Hey. Sorry it took me so long to respond. I've been busy as I had to work today 7am-7:30pm.

Anyways, glad to hear your ride went well. Mine was nice as well. I managed to talk my husband in to riding with me. Since it was the most climbing and mileage I've ever done before, I was really scared to do it alone. I'm glad he went with me, because as it turned out, we were alone for most of the route. We didn't start until 10:30am.

I felt really good about how I did. By the time I reached the rest stop at 40 miles, I could start to feel the ache in my legs. That last hill right before the stop was brutal!! I also have trouble eating much during strenuous rides, my stomach just feels sick usually when I try. So I wasn't able to really eat any of their delicious food (though my husband said it was good). I just had a couple of Gu packets and a banana. I need to work on that, because it probably would have helped.

Those last 5 miles were pretty tough. The last big downhill was awesome, and then I was just waiting for it to end. My odometer said I went a little over 63 miles, so I kept going "Okay... where's the end??" By that time I was really aching. But I was so happy when I finished because of what I had accomplished. We finished around 3:30. What about you guys?

Does your computer have an altimeter? My husband's said we only did 2700 feet of climbing, but the ride description said it would be over 3000 feet, so we were a little disappointed by that.

I also wanted to ask you what you ended up averaging for the whole ride on that CATS ride you did? I really want to do their ride that first weekend in May but I'm worried the pace may be too much for me, especially with 60+miles. The Daffodil I averaged just over 14MPH for the whole thing.

[Susan126]

I miss riding with my husband. He is totally unable to ride because of his knee. He has an old injury that just gets worse each year and it’s time to finally get it fixed. He’s been seeing an orthopedic doctor and he wants to do a knee replacement in May. Next year Joe (my hubby) will be back riding again. I can’t wait. But how nice that you were able to talk your husband into doing the metric with you. 10:30 is a late start. I was on the course at 8:28 AM. I wanted to start at 8:00 but I was running late as usual. I had to stop and get my black and white mocha from Starbucks and the line was long! :D

Yes I would have to agree on that last hill being brutal. I was feeling it in my legs too around mile 55. :( I was ready to see the finish line. With me it’s all about food. :D If I don’t eat (real food) I just won’t make it. I learned this fact about myself a long time ago on a ride where I bonked badly. I was eating gels but my body wanted something real. Gels and power bars just don’t do it for me. In fact on the training rides when we stop and everyone is pulling out their gel packs and power bars I’m pulling out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or turkey sandwich. So the beans and rice at the Eatonville stop really delighted me!

I missed a turn and had to back track a bit so I ended up with a grand total of 65.41 miles. And I absolutely LOVED that last downhill going into Orting. I hit 41 mph coming down it! I finished around 1:30. My average speed wasn’t too bad. It was 14.5. I usually ride between that and 16 mph. In fact on my two weekday rides last week I averaged 15.9 on my 30 mile loop on Tuesday and Thursday. But the hills and headwind definitely brought it down on Sunday’s Daffodil Classic. But I was more concerned with getting in the mileage.

I don’t have an altimeter on my computer. Maybe my next one will have one. It sure felt like we did a lot more climbing then 2700 feet. Even 3000 feet! Or I am still out of shape for hills. I noticed that I was pretty slow going up them on Sunday. The training rides should help me rebuild my climbing legs (I hope)!

On the last CATS ride our average was around 14.1. It was pretty hilly and we had a headwind too. In the spring you can always count on headwinds being around. We stayed together as a group pretty well on the flats but once we hit the hills we began to spread out. I don’t think you should have anything to worry about.

[XMcShiftersonX]

Aww that's too bad, I hope he recovers quickly from his surgery. Many patient's have said that they don't know why they waited so long to have it done, because it's so amazing how good the knee feels after it's fixed. I love riding with my husband. Finding good cycling friends is hard, but even then, there's something different about riding with my husband. He knows me better than anyone, and I trust him more than anyone, so I feel totally comfortable and safe. I wish he could be with me on every ride:)

Wow! You were flying down that hill. I only managed to get up to like 34MPH, kinda wussy. The fastest I've ever gone is 37 down this hill in Renton. I stay pretty consistent on my rides averaging somewhere in the 14 MPH range no matter the distance or climbing. I do often go on fairly hilly rides. However, if it's something completely flat like the Cedar River Trail, I can average a little over 15.

I'm still concerned about that CATS ride. But I think I'll give it a try. I'll keep a map, in case I can't keep up (even though I'm horrible with direction!). I'd like to do the route and the mileage, but the Daffodil is the first time I've done greater than 60 miles. Luckily this ride will be less climbing so that may help me not to feel so worn out at the end.