Weekday Rides?

[redrhodie]

I guess I need to stop complaining about my huge groups of 30.

[Catrin]

I guess I need to stop complaining about my huge groups of 30.

I don't know if it was the normal size for my group, but we started with about 25 of us in my group. I was able to hang with no problems until I was stuck at an intersection, was solo after that point. There were 5 groups in total. I had fun and will return, this is a good way to mix it up and get used to riding around others.

[indysteel]

Glad you had fun, Catrin. The route Nebo uses for its training rides remains one of my favorites. The last time I did a Thursday night ride there--in September of 2008--the group was much smaller than that. I can't even picture 200 riders congregating in Nebo's lot. That would be a big turnout even for a weekend CIBA ride. Is it chaotic? Is there a place to park?

[Catrin]

Glad you had fun, Catrin. The route Nebo uses for its training rides remains one of my favorites. The last time I did a Thursday night ride there--in September of 2008--the group was much smaller than that. I can't even picture 200 riders congregating in Nebo's lot. That would be a big turnout even for a weekend CIBA ride. Is it chaotic? Is there a place to park?

Everyone has to park in the empty lots on the north side of 106th as those businesses are closed by that time. It would certainly be chaotic if most of the riders didn't return every week. I think everyone is so accustomed to "their" group that everyone sort of congregates in their own group in Nebo's lot in the order in which the groups head out so it was really quite organized. They have a couple of minutes lag between groups.

Looking back at my last post - I only was dropped by the faster members of our group after I got stuck at that intersection. The slower members of our group (and the leader/sweeper) were behind me somewhere and I never saw them after we crossed 116th. I did wind up riding with another woman who was close to my speed and we missed a turn (the marker needs refreshing). I've ridden a LOT of miles in that area over the last two years though so once I realized we missed it I was able to lead her back - she was following me to begin with. It really helped knowing the area well enough to realize there wasn't a turn for a couple of miles so I knew we had missed a turn.

[withm]

LOL. I doubt there are 200 avid cyclists in the entire county here.

[redrhodie]

Glorious day here today. Bright sunshiny day, light breeze. I rode up to Portsmouth and did hills, first time in a long time I felt like climbing. I felt good! I've been having issues climbing since finishing radiation, so today felt like a breakthrough. I did have on different shoes, so maybe it was that.

I saw parachuter in the sky while riding by a windmill that's surrounded by a babbling brook, on a street called Paradise Rd. It doesn't get any better than that.

[Blueberry]

Yay, Red! I'm so happy for you - you deserve every minute of it and more

[indysteel]

Glorious day here today. Bright sunshiny day, light breeze. I rode up to Portsmouth and did hills, first time in a long time I felt like climbing. I felt good! I've been having issues climbing since finishing radiation, so today felt like a breakthrough. I did have on different shoes, so maybe it was that.

I saw parachuter in the sky while riding by a windmill that's surrounded by a babbling brook, on a street called Paradise Rd. It doesn't get any better than that.

That's great, Red. I hope you have many fantastic rides ahead of you this summer. As Blueberry said, you really deserve it.

[Owlie]

Glorious day here today. Bright sunshiny day, light breeze. I rode up to Portsmouth and did hills, first time in a long time I felt like climbing. I felt good! I've been having issues climbing since finishing radiation, so today felt like a breakthrough. I did have on different shoes, so maybe it was that.

I saw parachuter in the sky while riding by a windmill that's surrounded by a babbling brook, on a street called Paradise Rd. It doesn't get any better than that.

Awesome.

[shootingstar]

That's great Crankin.

[Catrin]

Sounds like a good kid Crankin, and I couldn't agree with you more. My old bouts of depression have almost completely disappeared since I got off the couch...

Today I rode 11 miles in my favorite park. My intention had been to ride 11-12 miles there, and then leave the park to check out a ~9-11 mile loop I rode last week for the first time. My right quad, however, was tight from the beginning and never loosened. After 9 miles it became apparent it just wasn't going to so I took the hint and spun it easy homewards-bound. Nice ride, if short.

Yesterday was a heavy leg day at the gym, and then at the finale of our "Slim It to Win It" body composition challenge we had a 45 minute special Zumba class that I tried out. Never done that before, and my legs were a little toasty going in so I am not all that surprised that my quads were talking to me today. It seemed fine before I started or I wouldn't have headed out. Darn it, it is such a beautiful day for a ride and I am off work today...

[Jiffer]

Rode 10 miles today, my longest "week day" ride in about a year. My week day "short" rides, used to average around 20-25. It's nice to at least be in the double digits again! As long as I ride slow, keeping my heart rate down, I can go longer these days. My "long" ride this weekend will be 18. I've been bumping up 2 miles each week lately.

Getting my poisonous mercury fillings replaced soon and hoping that will be the key to improved health and swift century riding again. Mercury poisoning could be the reason I have candida, adrenal fatigue, hypothyroidism and low hormones (along with like 10 other things).

[Catrin]

100 degrees at 5:00, so did I go to the great group training class at the air conditioned gym I normally attend on Tuesday evenings? Nope, legs needed some gentle recovery instead so at 5:15 I rolled out into the heat for a little ride. Nice ride, much shorter and easier than normal. As I rolled home at the end of my ride thunder started rolling - and we even had a brief heavy storm!

Oddly enough it didn't FEEL all that hot - even the thermometer on my bike computer told me it was 100 as I started. I was drenched by the time I got home though - and I was only out for 45 minutes. Much better than my last hot ride!

[Crankin]

Today I went on my first group ride since December 27th . I did do 2 hikes with the group in January/February.
The ride started in Concord center, so I rode to the start. This group is a moderately paced, social group. They use human arrowing for turns, which is somewhat weird for newcomers. A lot of the people who were active when I started with them in 2005 no longer ride with the group (it's an older crowd), and now there's usually always a faster group that does the same route plus more miles at a faster pace. I'm always on the edge of thinking I can hang with the faster group, but today was definitely a no-go... they were doing 44 miles at a 16 mph average, up significant hills that I am familiar with. And it was hot.
We rode to the MIT observatory in Groton, which is very near where I lived when i first moved back to MA. In fact, the faster group went right by my old house. It felt weird. I was riding on roads I used to drive on all of the time, but there were times I was not quite sure of what street I was on. The regular group has also picked up its pace, too. After the first 4 miles, I got up near the front and stayed there, except for falling back a bit, so I wouldn't have to arrow! The group was really big and it would have taken me awhile to catch up.
The hill up to the observatory was challenging, but I've done much worse. It's funny to watch some of the guys. They start out fast, stay in a hard gear and then poof! I pass them and leave them in the dust in my granniest of granny. No shade on the climb, either.
I peeled off to go home before they got back to Concord center and headed to lunch. I didn't have enough to eat and I was on the edge of bonking. When I got to the street that intersects with my street, I stopped, poured my water over my head and down my jersey and ate a shot block, to get up my hill.
I feel like I worked hard, but I'm not "exhausted," either. I rode 40 miles, no idea what the average was, as I didn't check it after I started the climb to the observatory.
I need to go on more of these rides...

[Catrin]

It sounds like you had fun Crankin, what is "arrowing"?

I did something tonight I never do, and probably should do more often. Instead of going out with a specific goal in mind, I just went out for an easy ride on my bike. I didn't have time to get in a good ride and have the slightest hope of sleeping tonight but I still wanted to ride. It was a very short 9 miles or so but it was delightful and I've a workout tomorrow night, and riding or mountain biking the following 3-4 days.

I don't seem to be riding as long this year as in the past, I've yet to even ride 50 miles yet (though that will change in September). Lots and lots of rides between 25-40 miles however, and that is just fine I am riding more frequently (when it hasn't been over 95 degrees), and my over-use injuries seem to complain far less with this approach. I will take it!